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)
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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.



West Ham Surprise Newcastle with 2-0 Away Win

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Ham United - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - November 25, 2024 West Ham United's Tomas Soucek celebrates after the match with Aaron Wan-Bissaka Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Ham United - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - November 25, 2024 West Ham United's Tomas Soucek celebrates after the match with Aaron Wan-Bissaka Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
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West Ham Surprise Newcastle with 2-0 Away Win

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Ham United - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - November 25, 2024 West Ham United's Tomas Soucek celebrates after the match with Aaron Wan-Bissaka Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Ham United - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - November 25, 2024 West Ham United's Tomas Soucek celebrates after the match with Aaron Wan-Bissaka Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Newcastle’s winning run in the English Premier League came to an abrupt end when goals from Thomas Souček and Aaron Wan-Bissaka gave West Ham a surprise 2-0 win at St. James’ Park on Monday.
The Hammers rose into 14th place and the pressure on coach Julen Lopetegui was eased.
The London club has been inconsistent all season and Monday’s win was just its fourth in 12 league games, The Associated Press reported.
West Ham was worth it in the end but the three points came courtesy of slack defending by the home side. Emerson whipped in an out-swinging corner after 10 minutes and, with Newcastle defenders rooted to the spot, Souček stole in to nod home the opener.
Then eight minutes into the second half, captain Jarrod Bowen found Wan-Bissaka in the penalty box and he was left unchallenged and had time to fire an angled drive past Nick Pope.
“The second goal ... if you settle on a lead it can come back to haunt you,” Bowen said.
Newcastle brought on Harvey Barnes, and then Callum Wilson returned from a long-term back injury to make his first appearance of the season, but to no avail.
“I said we needed a performance and we did that," Bowen said. “Newcastle always score at home so to keep them to a clean sheet and score twice ... it’s a tough place to come to. We did that perfectly.”
The defeat ended a three-game winning streak for Newcastle and left the Saudi Arabia-owned club in ninth place, four points outside the top four.