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)
TT

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."



West Ham Hires Former Chelsea Coach Graham Potter

FILE - Chelsea's head coach Graham Potter celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Chelsea at King Power stadium in Leicester, England, Saturday, March 11, 2023.(AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
FILE - Chelsea's head coach Graham Potter celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Chelsea at King Power stadium in Leicester, England, Saturday, March 11, 2023.(AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
TT

West Ham Hires Former Chelsea Coach Graham Potter

FILE - Chelsea's head coach Graham Potter celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Chelsea at King Power stadium in Leicester, England, Saturday, March 11, 2023.(AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
FILE - Chelsea's head coach Graham Potter celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Chelsea at King Power stadium in Leicester, England, Saturday, March 11, 2023.(AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)

West Ham hired Graham Potter as manager on Thursday, a day after Julen Lopetegui was fired.
Potter has been out of management since he was fired by Chelsea in 2023 after just seven months in the job at Stamford Bridge.
Potter takes over a team that has won only three of its last 11 games and is 14th in the standings — seven points above the relegation zone, The Associated Press reported.
Former Real Madrid and Spain coach Lopetegui paid the price for that poor run when his departure was confirmed on Wednesday — around eight months after he was hired to replace David Moyes.
Potter enjoyed an impressive rise after beginning his coaching career at Ostersunds in Sweden in 2011.
He took over at Swansea in 2018 and by 2022 was in charge of Premier League giant Chelsea after a stint a Brighton.
But his reputation took a hit at Chelsea, which was undergoing a turbulent period following the takeover by US owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital and a spend of $630 million on new signings. He lasted just six months after a run of just seven wins from 22 league games.