The Jordanian national football team has made a historic leap to the 2023 AFC Asian Cup final after defeating South Korea with a 2-0 victory on Tuesday. The final match of the 18th edition of the Asian championship is set to take place at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail City, Qatar.
The 2023 AFC Asian Cup has been a thrilling tournament, hosted by Qatar since January 12, featuring 10 Arab teams among the participants, including Lebanon, Syria, UAE, Palestine, Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan, along with Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
The final showdown of the Asian Cup is scheduled for Saturday, February 10, 2024. The decisive match at Lusail Stadium will kick off at 5:00 PM Mecca time, corresponding to 6:00 PM Cairo time.
Jordan’s Journey to the Asian Cup Final:
Jordan continued their impressive run in the tournament by securing their place in the final after a solid win against South Korea. Goals from Yazan Al-Naimat and Musa Al-Taamari in the 53rd and 66th minutes respectively sealed the victory.
This marks Jordan’s first-ever appearance in the final of the tournament, where they await the winner of the semi-final clash between tournament host and defending champion Qatar and Iran.
Jordan kicked off their campaign with a resounding 4-0 win over Malaysia, followed by a 2-2 draw with South Korea and a narrow 1-0 defeat to Bahrain, advancing as one of the best four third-placed teams.
In the knockout stages, Jordan triumphed over Iraq with a 3-2 win before ending Tajikistan’s debut run with a 1-0 victory in the quarter-finals.
South Korea, under the guidance of German coach Jurgen Klinsmann, had a marathon journey after finishing second in Group Six. They achieved a 3-1 victory over Bahrain and drew 2-2 with both Jordan and Malaysia.
In the knockout rounds, South Korea needed extra time and penalty shootouts to edge past Saudi Arabia following a 1-1 draw, before overcoming Australia in a dramatic 2-1 extra-time win in the semi-finals.
The upcoming final promises an exciting culmination to the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, highlighting the growing competitiveness and talent within Asian football.