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."



Japan Qualify for BJK Cup Finals with Win Over Canada

Japan's Moyuka Uchijima levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Canadian Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3 - AFP
Japan's Moyuka Uchijima levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Canadian Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3 - AFP
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Japan Qualify for BJK Cup Finals with Win Over Canada

Japan's Moyuka Uchijima levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Canadian Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3 - AFP
Japan's Moyuka Uchijima levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Canadian Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3 - AFP

Japan became the seventh team to book their place at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals when they came from behind to beat Canada 2-1 in Tokyo on Sunday.

Victory in the doubles put them top of Group A and means they will be heading to Shenzhen in September to join hosts China, defending champions Italy and fellow qualifying group winners Ukraine, Spain, Great Britain and Kazakhstan.

The one remaining place will go to either Slovakia or USA, who meet in Bratislava later on Sunday, AFP reported.

Canada and Japan had both blanked Romania 3-0 in their opening matches, setting up the head-to-head finale which was played out in front of a noisy Tokyo crowd.

The Canadians made the better start with Victoria Mboko edging Ena Shibahara over three sets, 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5.

Moyuka Uchijima then levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3.

That left everything on the doubles where Japan could call on the experienced Shuko Aoyama, now 37, and Eri Hozumi against Rebecca Marino and Kayla Cross.

The Japanese took the first set 6-3 but the Canadians hit back strongly to lead 5-1 in the second, at which point they wobbled, losing four games in a row.

They held their nerve to break again and take the set 7-5 but were immediately in trouble in the decider when Marino was broken.

As pressure mounted and errors crept into the Canadians' game, the Japanese pair turned the screw to see out a 6-2 final set which qualified them for the China showpiece.

The BJK Cup qualifiers featured six groups of three nations with the winners booking a ticket to the eight-team final tournament.