Jordan Score Twice in Injury Time to Surge into Asian Cup Quarters

 Jordan's Nizar Al-Rashdan celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between Iraq and Jordan at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (AP)
Jordan's Nizar Al-Rashdan celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between Iraq and Jordan at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (AP)
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Jordan Score Twice in Injury Time to Surge into Asian Cup Quarters

 Jordan's Nizar Al-Rashdan celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between Iraq and Jordan at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (AP)
Jordan's Nizar Al-Rashdan celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between Iraq and Jordan at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (AP)

Jordan will meet Tajikistan in the Asian Cup quarter-finals after scoring twice in three minutes deep in stoppage time to stun Iraq 3-2 in a thriller on Monday.

Jordan had a man advantage after the 77th-minute dismissal of Aymen Hussein but looked down and out in injury time, only for Yazan Al-Arab to prod in a 95th-minute leveler.

If that was hard to believe, better was to come two minutes later for Jordan when Nizar Al-Rashdan curled in from well outside the box to fire the underdogs into the last eight and spark wild celebrations.

Iraq's heartbroken players were left flat-out on the turf, their dreams of repeating the country's fairytale 2007 Asian Cup title somehow snatched from their grasp.

Jordan's coach Hussein Ammouta agreed with his opposite number that the harsh dismissal of Hussein for a second yellow card, for over-celebrating what he thought was Iraq's winner, changed the game.

"The second half belonged to them, they scored two goals and then had to continue with 10 players," said the Moroccan.

Jordan, who held South Korea 2-2 in the group phase, next face a Tajikistan side who are one of the surprise packages of the competition on their Asian Cup debut.

In Monday's other last-16 game, hosts and holders Qatar face Palestine.

'Turning point'

Jordan are ranked 24 places lower than Iraq but they were the better side in the first half in front of a 36,000 crowd at a raucous Khalifa International Stadium.

After going close on at least two occasions, Jordan deservedly took the lead in the first minute of injury time.

The Iraq defense sloppily presented Yazan Al-Naimat with the ball and he raced towards goal before chipping over a flailing and overworked goalkeeper Jalal Hassan.

Iraq, who defeated pre-tournament favorites Japan 2-1 in the group stage, went on the attack after the break.

The pressure paid off in the 68th minute when defender Saad Natiq nodded down and in from a corner for the equalizer.

Jordan went right up the other end and flashed an effort across goal, before unmarked striker Hussein controlled the ball in the box and lashed in to make it 2-1 in the 76th minute.

It was his sixth goal of the tournament but he was promptly given a second yellow card, having sat on the ground and mimicked what appeared to be eating.

Then came Jordan's quickfire double at the death to leave Iraq reeling.

"Of course the sending-off was the turning point," said Iraq's Spanish coach Jesus Casas.

"I don't understand how a referee can send a player off for celebrating.

"When this happened, we had to make changes and this complicated our task."



France Coach Deschamps Backs Mbappe to Break World Cup Scoring Record

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
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France Coach Deschamps Backs Mbappe to Break World Cup Scoring Record

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. (AFP)

France manager Didier Deschamps suggested ‌Kylian Mbappe will eventually claim the all-time World Cup goals record after the 27-year-old striker scored his second double of the tournament in Monday’s 3-0 win over Iraq.

Mbappe’s third and fourth goals of the finals pulled him level with Germany's former all-time record holder Miroslav Klose on 16 for his career.

He is now two behind Lionel Messi, who has already scored five times in this tournament despite approaching his 39th birthday following his brace against Austria earlier on Monday.

“Well, records are there to be broken,” Deschamps said in the post-match press conference. “And now he has a symbolic figure. He has 100 caps. He's always ‌scored goals. He ‌will score more goals.

“Take Messi, take (Cristiano) Ronaldo. I'm not ‌sure ⁠that Kylian will ⁠play up to their age, but as long as he's on the pitch and as he feels right, he will score a lot of goals.

"Every time he beats his own record, he does have the capacity to up his ante.”

Mbappe’s latest double was perhaps his most unusual, the goals coming nearly three hours apart in the first match of this World Cup beset by a lengthy ⁠weather delay.

What did France do during the delay?

“We played cards,” ‌Deschamps quipped. “No, well, we were waiting. We ‌had slots that kept being pushed forward again. And what is most important with ‌my ... colleague (Iraq manager) Graham (Arnold) is to have the 20 minutes to do another ‌warm-up, to not take any risks.

“There was a lot of rain that made the pitch very heavy. It was the first time that it happened to me. Same for my players.”

Deschamps admitted the ordeal was frustrating, but also felt there was little anyone ‌could have done differently.

“I was actually having a good time with the players. We're making fun. You know, ⁠it's a question ⁠of safety and it's just the way it is. You cannot fight against rain and lightning when there is a risk.

“It’s almost early morning in Europe, well, these are very special circumstances and I do hope that they will not happen again.”

As for the other goalscorer, Ousmane Dembele, Deschamps hoped the reigning Ballon d'Or winner was just getting started after his first of the tournament.

“Be easy on Ousmane,” he said. “There's no issue with Ousmane. He also needs to re-adapt to a system in which he doesn't play throughout the year.

“As long as Ousmane is well physically, and this is the case, then it's just fine-tuning. I trust in Ousmane. He knows that. And he's not somebody who doubts and doing what he did today, it's important because he's a decisive player.”


Iraq Still Have Chance to Go Through After France Loss, Arnold Says

 Iraq's Australian head coach Graham Arnold reacts after losing the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
Iraq's Australian head coach Graham Arnold reacts after losing the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
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Iraq Still Have Chance to Go Through After France Loss, Arnold Says

 Iraq's Australian head coach Graham Arnold reacts after losing the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
Iraq's Australian head coach Graham Arnold reacts after losing the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Iraq at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. (AFP)

Iraq may have been on the wrong end of another superstar striker masterclass, but manager Graham Arnold insists his team's tournament dreams remain intact despite Monday's 3-0 defeat by France.

Kylian Mbappe scored twice in a Group I clash that was delayed more than two hours by severe weather, marking the second consecutive game where Iraq have conceded two goals to one ‌of football's elite ‌forwards.

In their opener, Norway's Erling Haaland found ‌the ⁠net twice in ⁠a 4-1 victory.

But the Australian coach is keeping his eyes firmly fixed on Friday's crucial final group match against Senegal, where Iraq's hopes of reaching the knockout phase hang in the balance.

"For me now, it's all about Senegal," Arnold said. "With ... eight third-placed teams going through. You know, we've still got a chance."

Arnold ⁠praised his team's first-half performance despite Mbappe's ‌opener from distance, but lamented how ‌the lengthy weather delay seemed to disrupt their rhythm.

A costly goal-kick ‌error immediately after the restart gifted France their second goal.

"Well, ‌you know, there's nothing I could do except I showed probably a little bit longer footage of the first half at halftime to show them where France was obviously hurting us a little bit," ‌Arnold explained.

"But it was more the players just had to sit and relax and keep ⁠relaxed and ⁠then get themselves obviously ready when we went back out there."

The Iraq boss had nothing but admiration for Mbappe's devastating display.

"He's an incredible player," Arnold said. "His speed is unstoppable. And that's why we defended a little bit deeper than I always do because if you leave space in behind and Mbappe's that quick, then he'll destroy you."

With Haaland and Mbappe both on the scoresheet in consecutive games against Iraq, Arnold sees an intriguing battle brewing.

"Haaland is scoring goals, and Messi's obviously scoring goals, and Mbappe. So it's going to be a very good competition between those three for the leading goal scorer."


Egypt’s Mo Salah Adds to List of Accolades in World Cup Against New Zealand

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group G - New Zealand v Egypt - BC Place, Vancouver, Canada - June 21, 2026 Egypt's Mohamed Salah celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group G - New Zealand v Egypt - BC Place, Vancouver, Canada - June 21, 2026 Egypt's Mohamed Salah celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
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Egypt’s Mo Salah Adds to List of Accolades in World Cup Against New Zealand

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group G - New Zealand v Egypt - BC Place, Vancouver, Canada - June 21, 2026 Egypt's Mohamed Salah celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group G - New Zealand v Egypt - BC Place, Vancouver, Canada - June 21, 2026 Egypt's Mohamed Salah celebrates after the match. (Reuters)

While Mohamed Salah's club career is still undecided, he's building his legacy with Egypt.

Salah scored his 68th goal in international play, a total now just one goal shy of current Egypt coach Hossam Hassan’s career record for the Pharaohs, in a 3-1 World Cup victory Sunday night over New Zealand.

It was his third World Cup goal after he netted two at the 2018 tournament in Russia. Three goals at the World Cup gives the 34-year-old Salah the most ever for an Egyptian player.

Salah played for Liverpool for nine seasons, winning two Premier League titles and becoming the league's leading foreign goal scorer. But he had a dip in form this season and amid tensions, announced his contract with the squad would be ended a year early.

His departure from Anfield sparked discussion as to where the striker would be going next. For now, he plays for Egypt with his future plans still uncertain.

While between clubs, Mo Salah has etched his name further into the history books as the captain of the first Egyptian team to win a World Cup match.

“What happened today is history for us as Egyptians,” Salah said. “We see a lot of teams win games, but for us as Egyptian, it doesn’t happen often, first time in history.”

Fans would have to wait to see the Salah they grew to expect at Liverpool. He started slow in the first half, missing wide left on a direct free kick and watching New Zealand take an early lead, but he would not be denied for long.

Salah scored Sunday on a pass from Mostafa Ziko in the 67th minute. The ball slid underneath a defender and past New Zealand goalkeeper Max Crocombe to give the Pharaohs a 2-1 lead.

Salah wasn’t done adding to his resume quite yet, getting an assist in the 82nd minute on the Pharaohs’ final goal, his second assist of this game. He also had an assist on Egypt’s lone goal in its 1-1 draw against Belgium earlier in the tournament.

“He’s a good player,” New Zealand captain Chris Wood said. “You have to keep an eye on him.”

The four-time Premier League Golden Boot winner scored nine goals in 10 matches to qualify the Pharaohs for this World Cup. Salah became the career scoring leader in African World Cup qualifying history.

Salah should have his share of clubs interested in his talents after a strong start to the World Cup.

“Salah worked hard on the pitch,” Egypt manager Hossam Hassan said. “I am sure we are going to see more from him.”