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Super Jordan stun Korea to reach Asian Cup final

Super Jordan stun Korea to reach Asian Cup final
Jordan's forward Yazan al-Naimat celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during their Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup semi-final match against South Korea at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, Doha, on Feb. 6, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 06 February 2024

Super Jordan stun Korea to reach Asian Cup final

Super Jordan stun Korea to reach Asian Cup final
  • It was a fantastic performance from Jordan in the biggest game in the country’s history
  • The men from Amman took a deserved lead through Yazan Al-Naimat early in the second half

DOHA: On a historic Tuesday evening at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Jordan defeated South Korea 2-0 to book a place in the final of the Asian Cup.
It was a fantastic performance from Jordan in the biggest game in the country’s history. Very much regarded as the underdogs, the men from Amman took a deserved lead through Yazan Al-Naimat early in the second half. Soon after, Mousa Taamari made it two with a beauty against a star-studded Korean side who never really got going and were well beaten.
Now Al-Nashama wait to see whether they face Iran or Qatar in Saturday’s final and on this performance, few would bet against them doing it all again.
Jordan started confidently with two shots on goal, albeit long-range efforts, coming in the first five minutes — strikes that had goalkeeper Jo Hyun-woo scrambling to move across his goal line. Not just going forward, but all over the pitch, Jordan looked very comfortable, with their press unsettling the Koreans who struggled to string passes together.
Their superiority continued and they came closer in the 18th minute with Noor Al-Rawabdeh forcing Jo to push away a shot from outside the area. Seconds later Son lifted the ball into the net above the goalkeeper but had been clearly offside. It was the first sign of threat from the Taeguk Warriors.
Jordan continued in the ascendancy and should have taken the lead after 26 minutes. Al-Naimat ran at the defense from a central position and suddenly it all opened up. The forward moved left and his shot drew a fine diving save from Jo, by far the busier of the goalkeepers. Almost immediately, Taamari fired just over as Jordan continued to dominate.
But then to the surprise of everyone, the referee gave a penalty as Yazan Al-Arab was adjudged to have brought down Seol Young-woo. After a video review, the decision was rightly overturned and then, soon after, Korea hit the post. Lee Kang-in crossed from the right and Lee Jae-sung, in a crowded area, headed against the foot of the post.
Al-Naimat came just as close in another counter. He cut in from the right, skipped past three defenders and his shot from the edge of the six-yard box hit Jo in the face and that was enough for Korea to stay on level terms. At the break, though, there was no doubt that Jordan had been far superior. The only negative was the lack of a goal.
Not for much longer. The deserved opener came eight minutes after the restart. Once again, Korea gave the ball away and this time were punished. Taamari found Al-Nazmat, who raced into the area and lifted the ball coolly over Jo. Korea have earned a reputation as the comeback kings in the tournament and reminded the men in white of that as substitute Cho Gue-song headed just over on the hour.
Jordan were not about to sit back and allow the Koreans to mount attack after attack and went looking for a second. It came in the 66th minute thanks to another excellent strike.
Taamari ran at the defense and the Montpellier winger sent a perfect low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area. It was nothing less than the team deserved and they had one foot in the final.
Korea huffed and puffed but never looked like coming back as they did against Ƶ and Australia. Jordan were just too good and now they are just 90 minutes from becoming champions of Asia.


Japanese football player Kazuyoshi Miura says he will play next season at age 58

Japanese football player Kazuyoshi Miura says he will play next season at age 58
Updated 16 November 2024

Japanese football player Kazuyoshi Miura says he will play next season at age 58

Japanese football player Kazuyoshi Miura says he will play next season at age 58
  • Miura will turn 58 in February
  • He intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka

TOKYO: Japanese football player Kazuyoshi Miura is several generations older than his teammates. His contemporaries retired decades ago. Lionel Messi is 37, and Cristiano Ronaldo is 39 — mere youngsters compared to Miura.
Miura will turn 58 in February, and the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported this week that he intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka. It will be his 40th season playing in professional football.
Miura is widely listed as the oldest active professional football player.
Miura scored 55 goals in 89 appearances and was a star with Japan’s national team in the 1990s.
He has played professionally in Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal. He made his debut in 1986 with Brazilian club Santos, a side made famous by Brazilian star Pele.


Japan beat Indonesia 4-0 to extend group lead in Asian World Cup qualifying

Japan beat Indonesia 4-0 to extend group lead in Asian World Cup qualifying
Updated 16 November 2024

Japan beat Indonesia 4-0 to extend group lead in Asian World Cup qualifying

Japan beat Indonesia 4-0 to extend group lead in Asian World Cup qualifying
  • Japan tops the group on 13 points with five games remaining in the round.
  • Australia, Ƶ and China all have 6 points, followed by Bahrain with five and Indonesia with 3

JAKARTA: Japan defeated Indonesia 4-0 on Friday to move seven points clear at the top of Group C in the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Two goals in each half mean the Samurai Blue stays on course for an eighth successive World Cup appearance.
After a bright start from the home team, the 78,000 fans at a sold-out Gelora Bung Karno Stadium were silenced after 35 minutes as Daichi Kamada broke down the left and sent a cross which defender Justin Hubner put into his own net from close range.
Takumi Minamino then scored from inside the area off Kaoru Mitoma’s pass to extend the lead five minutes before the break.
Hidemasa Motira took advantage of an errant pass from Indonesia’s goalkeeper to make it 3-0 early in the second half and Yukinari Sugawara rounded out the scoring in the 69th minute.
Japan tops the group on 13 points with five games remaining in the round. Australia, Ƶ and China all have six points, followed by Bahrain with five and Indonesia with three.
The top two from each of the three groups will be guaranteed a place at the World Cup, with the third- and fourth-place teams progressing to the next stage.
 


Pogba and Juventus end contract mutually before he returns from doping ban

Pogba and Juventus end contract mutually before he returns from doping ban
Updated 15 November 2024

Pogba and Juventus end contract mutually before he returns from doping ban

Pogba and Juventus end contract mutually before he returns from doping ban
  • The Serie A club never seemed overly enthusiastic about welcoming Pogba back
  • “Juventus Football Club and Paul Pogba announce that they have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of Nov. 30, 2024,” the Bianconeri said

TURIN, Italy: Paul Pogba will no longer be a Juventus player from next month.
Juventus announced on Friday they came to “a mutual agreement” with Pogba to cancel his contract despite the France World Cup winner having a ban for doping slashed last month.
The Serie A club never seemed overly enthusiastic about welcoming Pogba back after his four-year ban for doping was reduced to 18 months following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The 31-year-old Pogba, who will be free to resume his career in March 2025, had said he was ready to give up money to play for Juventus again.
“Juventus Football Club and Paul Pogba announce that they have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of Nov. 30, 2024,” the Bianconeri said in a brief statement. “The club wish Paul the very best for his professional future.”
Pogba tested positive for testosterone in August last year and the Juventus midfielder was handed the maximum punishment by Italy’s anti-doping court.
But CAS judges cut Pogba’s ban as they acknowledged a lack of intent and said his positive test was the result of erroneously taking a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida.
Pogba’s contract with Juventus was set to expire in June 2026.
“My time at Juventus has come to an end. It has been a privilege to pull on the shirt of the Bianconeri and to share so many special memories together,” Pogba said in a statement.
“I cherish the memories we made. They live on. Even in the most difficult moments over the past year, your support was crucial and I want to thank Juve fans around the world for their compassion.”
Pogba was the most expensive soccer player in history when he joined Manchester United from Juventus for a fee of 105 million euros ($113 million) in 2016.
He starred in France’s World Cup triumph in 2018 and returned to Juventus as a free agent in 2022. But injuries limited him to just eight Serie A appearances in his second spell at the club before his ban last year.
“I am looking forward to the next chapter of my career and to stepping out on the pitch with my next club,” Pogba added.


Ruben Amorim has declared his mission for Man United

Ruben Amorim has declared his mission for Man United
Updated 15 November 2024

Ruben Amorim has declared his mission for Man United

Ruben Amorim has declared his mission for Man United
  • Amorim said on Friday, “I will try to do everything to put this club in the place that it belongs. And I believe a lot that we are going to succeed”
  • “We know that we need time, but we have to win time. To win time is to win games”

MANCHESTER, England: Ruben Amorim has told Manchester United fans he will do everything to bring the good times back to the 20-time English champion.
United’s new coach has been charged with ending more than a decade of decline at Old Trafford since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and their Premier League dominance fizzled out.
Amorim — hired from Sporting Lisbon this month — is embracing the challenge and said on Friday, “I will try to do everything to put this club in the place that it belongs. And I believe a lot that we are going to succeed.”

The 39-year-old Portuguese is the sixth permanent manager/coach since Ferguson retired after winning his 13th league title.
David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag all failed to return United to the summit of English and European soccer in a period when Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have dominated domestically.
It is unlikely Amorim will change that after coming in partway through a season in which United made their worst league start since 1986.
“We know that we need time, but we have to win time. To win time is to win games,” Amorim told United’s in-house channel. “But the most important thing for me is identity. So, since day one we will start with our identity.”
Asked what could be expected from his team in the first weeks of his reign, he added: “I want to say beautiful things to you, but I’m really honest. But what I can say is that I think you will see an idea.”


Green Falcons arrive in Jakarta for World Cup Asian qualifier against Indonesia

Green Falcons arrive in Jakarta for World Cup Asian qualifier against Indonesia
Updated 15 November 2024

Green Falcons arrive in Jakarta for World Cup Asian qualifier against Indonesia

Green Falcons arrive in Jakarta for World Cup Asian qualifier against Indonesia
  • Saudi national football team to hold closed training session before facing hosts on Nov. 19

JAKARTA: The Saudi national football team will train behind closed doors in Jakarta on Saturday in preparation for their 2026 World Cup Asian qualifier match against Indonesia next Tuesday.
The Green Falcons arrived in the Indonesian capital on Friday and are scheduled to face off against the hosts on Nov. 19 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, as part of the sixth round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The national team delegation was welcomed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport by the Saudi Ambassador Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Amoudi.
Yasser Al-Misehal, president of the Ƶ Football Federation, expressed his appreciation to the embassy for the warm reception and the facilities provided to the team following their arrival from Melbourne.
The Green Falcons will hold a closed training session on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Gelora Jakarta Stadium.