Jordan Reaches First Asian Cup Final after Stunning South Korea

 Jordan's players celebrate after defeating South Korea at the end of the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup semi-final football match between Jordan and South Korea at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on February 6, 2024. (AFP)
Jordan's players celebrate after defeating South Korea at the end of the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup semi-final football match between Jordan and South Korea at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on February 6, 2024. (AFP)
TT

Jordan Reaches First Asian Cup Final after Stunning South Korea

 Jordan's players celebrate after defeating South Korea at the end of the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup semi-final football match between Jordan and South Korea at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on February 6, 2024. (AFP)
Jordan's players celebrate after defeating South Korea at the end of the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup semi-final football match between Jordan and South Korea at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on February 6, 2024. (AFP)

Jordan is in the final of the Asian Cup for the first time after stunning South Korea 2-0 on Tuesday.

Yazan Al Naimat and Mousa Tamari struck in the second half at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium to knock out one of the pre-tournament favorites.

Jordan will play Iran or defending champion Qatar in the final this weekend. Their semifinal is on Wednesday.

Al Naimat opened the scoring in the 53rd minute when flicking a shot beyond goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, who had pulled off a series of saves to keep the score level.

Tamari made it 2-0 in the 66th with a long-range effort.

Two-time champion South Korea was aiming to win its first Asian Cup since 1960.

It needed a stoppage time own goal to secure a draw with Jordan in the group stage and mounted late comebacks in the round of 16 and quarterfinals against Saudi Arabia and Australia. But a repeat never looked likely on this occasion.

The closest South Korea came to scoring was when Lee Jae-sung headed against the post in the first half.



Amorim Says He Would Have 63-Year-Old GK Coach on Bench for Man United Rather Than Rashford 

Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in London on January 26, 2025. (AFP)
Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in London on January 26, 2025. (AFP)
TT

Amorim Says He Would Have 63-Year-Old GK Coach on Bench for Man United Rather Than Rashford 

Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in London on January 26, 2025. (AFP)
Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in London on January 26, 2025. (AFP)

Ruben Amorim says he would rather have Manchester United’s goalkeeper coach in his squad than Marcus Rashford after appearing to question the 27-year-old’s commitment to the club.

Out-of-favor Rashford has not played for his hometown club since Dec. 12 and seems firmly out in the cold under the United manager after again not making the squad for the 1-0 win at Fulham in the Premier League.

Amorim went as far as saying that 63-year-old goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital is more likely to gain minutes than the England forward.

“It’s always the same reason (why Rashford is not playing),” Amorim said Sunday on the eve of his 40th birthday. “The reason is the training, what I think a footballer should do in training, in life and every day. If things don’t change, I will not change.

“It’s the same situation for every player. If you do the maximum and the right things then we can use every player.

“Today on the bench we missed a bit of pace to change the game but I prefer it like this, I will put (in) Vital before I put (in) a player who doesn’t give the maximum every day, so I will not change in that department.”

Rashford, who campaigned against child poverty during the COVID pandemic, posted “Congratulations on the win lads” on social media.