Jordan and Qatar will battle it out at the Lusail Stadium on Saturday in the final of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
The underdog journey in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup has been marked by some impressive performances. In the group stage, Jordan, who face hosts Qatar in the final, proved their mettle with a commanding 4-0 victory against Malaysia and a hard-fought 2-2 draw against South Korea. A 1-0 triumph over Bahrain in their final group match solidified their place in the knockout stage.
Their Round of 16 clash was arguably one of the most dramatic seen at the tournament so far, as they won 3-2 against Iraq in normal time despite trailing as late as the 94th minute. With Iraq down to ten men, Jordan capitalised with an equaliser from Yazan Al-Arab in the 95th minute and a winner two minutes later from Nizar Al-Rashdan.
Less drama was on display in their quarterfinal as they squeezed past Tajikistan by a single goal, an own goal in the 66th minute by Vahdat Hanonov, to book their place in the semi-finals for the first time in history. They then knocked out one of the favourites, South Korea, with a comfortable 2-0 victory, reducing the Son Heung-min-led attack to zero shots on target.
Qatar, on the other hand, will defend their Asian Cup crown against Jordan. They have evidently rebuilt their team following a disastrous 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign on home turf 14 months ago to reach the final once again.
After winning all three of their group matches, the Maroons cantered into the knockout stages, where they beat Palestine in the Round of 16, before seeing off Uzbekistan 3-2 on penalties in the last eight, before beating Iran in dramatic fashion. Almoez Ali struck late as the hosts sealed a late 3-2 win after an eventful semi-final. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News and Tactics
Jordan
Jordan are ranked 87th in the world and 13th in Asia. Yet, they miraculously find themselves just a step away from continental glory. The Chivalrous Ones will be boosted by a fully fit squad as they plot the ultimate giant-killing of their remarkable run at the AFC Asian Cup.
Head coach Hussein Ammouta is likely to deploy a transitional 3-4-2-1 formation for the Qatar clash. Yazeed Abulaila will remain in between the sticks, with Abdallah Nasib, Yazan Al-Arab, and Bara Marie providing the protection in the back-three, with Ihsan Haddad and Abu Hasheesh serving as wing-backs on either side of the trio.
Nizar Al-Rashdan will be a vital cog in the double-pivot alongside Noor Al-Rawabdeh. Star man Musa Al-Taamari was unstoppable in Jordan’s semi-final victory over South Korea at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, creating the first goal for Yazan Al-Naimat before finding the back of the net himself with a surging run followed by a peach of a strike to seal a stunning win.
He will look to make a similar impact here in attack paired with Mahmoud Al-Mardi, with the attacking dup sitting behind target-man Yazan Al-Naimat.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Abulaila; Nasib, Al-Arab, Marei; Haddad, Al-Rashdan, Al-Rawabdeh, Abu Hasheesh; Al-Taamari, Olwan; Al-Naimat
Qatar
Goalkeeper Salah Zakaria is still dealing with an unspecified injury and is the only one likely unavailable for Qatar heading into the final on Saturday. There were two changes in the Qatar starting 11 against Iran, with Yusuf Abdurisag and Homam Ahmed, replacing Hassan Al-Haydos and Tarek Salman.
Both of the replaced players could return here, including Salman, who will slot straight into central defence alongside Lucas Mendes. His leadership and organisational skills at the back have been pivotal in limiting opposition threats. Qatar’s defensive record, having conceded only four goals in the competition so far, owes much to the entire team’s collective defensive efforts, though.
Tactically, Qatar in possession take up a 4-4-2 shape with full-backs pushing high up the pitch to provide width, along with one of the strikers dropping deeper in the build-up.
Dealing with this overload in midfield will be important for Jordan if they wish to maintain control of the game in the centre of the park, where Ahmed Fatehi and Al-Haydos emerge as key metronomes, seamlessly orchestrating Qatar’s play. Up front, attacking stars Akram Afif and Almoez Ali will be ready to roll this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Barsham; Ro-Ro, Mendes, Salman, Waad; Gaber, Fatehi, Al-Haydos, Ahmed; Ali, Afif
Key Stats
- There have been 23 previous clashes between the sides, with Jordan winning six times over Qatar and losing on 12 occasions.
- Jordan’s last win over Qatar came in August 2008, sealing a 3-0 win at the West Asian Football Federation Championship.
- Qatar have beaten Jordan in their last two clashes, 2-0 in January 2014 and 2-0 in December 2018.
- However, Jordan did beat Qatar in a friendly match just before the start of the tournament.
- Jordan have won four games within a single edition of the AFC Asian Cup for the first time ever. They have also scored 12 goals across a single edition of the tournament for the first time, three more than they managed across the two previous editions combined.
Player to Watch
Akram Afif
Akram Afif has been instrumental in Qatar’s attacking threat at the tournament. Deployed on the left side, Afif’s ability to cut and dribble inside onto his preferred right foot has made him a constant menace for opposing defences. Having scored five goals till now, he now has the chance to win the Golden Boot of the tournament.
Prediction
Jordan 1-2 Qatar
Jordan are remarkably, and deservedly, one of the finalists following one of the best performances of the tournament. The final of a major showpiece can always be unpredictable. So there is no stopping the underdog Jordan side from taking many risks to create history.
Both sides have found various ways to win in this competition. But Qatar are capable of producing a moment of magic and have so much momentum heading into the final, which could be all too much for Jordan to handle.
