Jordan Plot South Korea Upset as Asian Cup Braces for Semi-finals

 Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Iraq v Jordan - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - January 29, 2024 Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Iraq v Jordan - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - January 29, 2024 Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta reacts. (Reuters)
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Jordan Plot South Korea Upset as Asian Cup Braces for Semi-finals

 Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Iraq v Jordan - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - January 29, 2024 Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Iraq v Jordan - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - January 29, 2024 Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta reacts. (Reuters)

Jordan will make a slice of history when they face Son Heung-min's South Korea in the Asian Cup on Tuesday while hosts and holders Qatar play Iran in the other semi-final.

On paper South Korea would be expected to beat a Jordan side who are the lowest-ranked team left in the tournament and in the last four for the first time.

But Jordan held South Korea 2-2 in the group phase, with Jurgen Klinsmann's side salvaging a draw in injury time when Yazan Al-Arab deflected Hwang In-beom's shot into his own net.

Under their admired Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta, Jordan scored twice at the death to beat Iraq in the last 16 and then saw off fairytale debutants Tajikistan in the quarter-finals.

That put Jordan, who are 87th in the FIFA rankings and made their Asian Cup debut in 2004, into their first semi-final.

"Our eyes are now on the trophy," defender Abdallah Nasib, whose second-half header deflected off Tajikistan defender Vahdat Hanonov for the only goal of the game, told AFP.

"What the Jordanian team has achieved confirms that nothing is impossible."

Of the semi-finalists, Jordan are the only ones never to have won the Asian Cup.

Their opponents South Korea have lifted the trophy twice, but the last time was in 1960 and they are under big pressure at home to end that barren run.

They have not been convincing. Held by Jordan and Malaysia in the group phase, they beat Saudi Arabia in the last 16 on penalties and then needed some magic from Son to see off Australia in extra time.

As well as the enduring quality of skipper and Spurs star Son, Klinsmann's side have also been reliant on a series of late goals to stay alive in Qatar.

South Korean media, who have no fondness for the German Klinsmann, have called it "zombie football". Son says the team's ability to keep coming back from the dead in games is proof of their resilience.

The Koreans will be missing Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae, a rock at the heart of their defense, because of suspension.

Iran close on fourth title

Qatar, who defeated Japan in the 2019 final, and Iran clash on Wednesday in the second semi-final.

Both sides won all three of their group games -- the only teams to do so along with now-eliminated Iraq -- and Iran then squeezed through on penalties against Syria, before beating Japan 2-1 in the last eight.

That victory on Saturday over the pre-tournament favorites, thanks to a stoppage-time penalty from Alireza Jahanbakhsh, has Iran dreaming of a first Asian title since 1976 and fourth overall.

They will welcome back prolific striker Mehdi Taremi after he was suspended for the Japan game.

"This match can be a turning point for Iranian football," coach Amir Ghalenoei said following the victory over Japan.

"Not just for the senior national team, but also for the U23s, U19s and the whole football set-up."



Juventus Beat Al-Ain 5-0 at Club World Cup

Randal Kolo Muani of Juventus celebrates after scoring during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match between Al-Ain and Juventus in Washington, DC, USA, 18 June 2025. EPA/SHAWN THEW
Randal Kolo Muani of Juventus celebrates after scoring during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match between Al-Ain and Juventus in Washington, DC, USA, 18 June 2025. EPA/SHAWN THEW
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Juventus Beat Al-Ain 5-0 at Club World Cup

Randal Kolo Muani of Juventus celebrates after scoring during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match between Al-Ain and Juventus in Washington, DC, USA, 18 June 2025. EPA/SHAWN THEW
Randal Kolo Muani of Juventus celebrates after scoring during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match between Al-Ain and Juventus in Washington, DC, USA, 18 June 2025. EPA/SHAWN THEW

Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao both scored twice as the young guns of Juventus made a statement in their Club World Cup opener with a dominant 5-0 win over Emirati club Al-Ain on Wednesday.

Kolo Muani grabbed both of his goals in the first half, Conceicao scored either side of the break while Türkiye forward Kenan Yildiz also found the net as Juventus dazzled the crowd at Audi Field with some mesmeric football.

"I'm very happy to win the game, the team played a great game so we're happy and now we'll get ready for the next game," Reuters quoted Kolo Muani as saying.

"I finished last season well and we've started this good as well."

The convincing victory sent Juventus top of Group G level on three points with England's Manchester City, who beat Wydad Casablanca 2-0 earlier on Wednesday.

Twice Asian champions Al-Ain conceded two thirds of the pitch for much of the first half and Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram ran the show from about 35 meters out with Conceicao and Yildiz buzzing around in front of him.

A neat exchange of passing in the 11th minute set Alberto Costa free on the edge of the box and the young Portuguese right back lofted over a cross which Kolo Muani met with a powerful header at the far post for the opening goal.

Costa's fine work down the right flank 10 minutes later set up the second goal for Conceicao, who ghosted across the box before unleashing a shot which took a deflection and flew over the outstretched arms of Rui Patricio in the Al-Ain goal.

A further 10 minutes on and the lively Yildiz took the ball on the left before cutting inside, taking two touches and firing a shot into the net off the post.

Al-Ain had to push forward if they were going to get anything out of the game but they paid the price for their ambition in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

A through ball from Thuram found Kolo Muani peeling off the last defender and the French striker slotted the ball into net with the outside of his right foot to take his tally to five goals in his last six games for The Old Lady.

The Emirati side had a goal ruled out for offside at the start of the second half and skipper Kodjo Laba drew a fine save out of Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 49th minute.

Conceicao, however, put the game well beyond them in the 58th minute when he skipped into the box from the right wing and beat Portuguese Patricio for the second time with a fine low strike.

Patricio finally showed the quality that earned him 108 Portugal caps to deny Kolo Muani a hat-trick in the 66th minute and Juventus substitute Douglas Luiz came close to further blowing out the scoreline in the last couple of minutes.

Juventus next play Morroco's Wydad in Philadephia on Sunday, while Al-Ain, who lost to Real Madrid in the 2018 Club World Cup final, face City in Atlanta later the same day.