The drama and unpredictability continued at the 2023 Asian Cup as we were treated to two enthralling semi-finals this week. Jordan’s historic win over South Korea and hosts Qatar’s triumph over Iran in a five-goal thriller have set up a very exciting final which almost nobody could have foreseen before the tournament kicked off.
By Neel Shelat
🇯🇴 Jordan 2-0 South Korea 🇰🇷
A historic day for Jordan saw them make their Asian Cup semi-final debut against South Korea. Jürgen Klinsmann’s side were considered among the strongest contenders for the title going into the tournament, but their performances leading up to the semis were far from convincing.
The Taegeuk Warriors had trailed at some point in each of their previous five games, needing extremely late stoppage time equalisers in both knockout ties to go to extra time before eventually managing to get over the line. This clearly was not a sustainable approach, but they might have hoped that the momentum built up by these dramatic late winners would push them through the next couple of matches at least.
Against a well-drilled Jordanian side, though, they came unstuck. Houssaine Ammouta’s men were happy to cede possession and drop into a very solid and compact 5-4-1 block, but they also posed a serious attacking threat thanks to the exceptional Musa Al-Taamari, who was chiefly supported by Yazan Al-Naimat.
After threatening throughout the match, the duo eventually struck early on in the second half as Al-Taamari drove infield with the ball at his feet and then slipped in Al-Naimat, who beat the goalkeeper with a cute chipped finish. Just over ten minutes later, Al-Taamari took matters into his own hands as he capped off a mazy dribble with a precise finish into the corner, putting his side in a commanding position.
The difference between Jordan and South Korea’s previous knockout opponents was their defensive composure inside their own half and around the box. As a result of that, South Korea never really got going and ultimately went down with a whimper, failing to register as much as a shot on target.
The manner of this defeat – and indeed South Korea’s performances throughout the tournament – will put Klinsmann’s position under serious threat. There was controversy over his approach to the job right from the time he took over, so the KFA will have to seriously consider where they want him to be the man leading the side to the 2026 World Cup.
🇮🇷 Iran 2-3 Qatar 🇶🇦
After convincingly winning their group, Iran registered two dramatic knockout wins over Syria and pre-tournament favourites Japan. On the back of those results, they might have felt that this was finally their year as they entered the final four as the strongest-looking side both on form and by the FIFA rankings.
Qatar, however, were not going to pushovers by any stretch of the imagination. As the hosts and defending champions, there was a good deal of pressure on the side to which they had risen. They too comfortably won their group and then just about got the better of Palestine and Uzbekistan to reach the semi-final. The concern, however, was that they had not come across a top-level team yet.
It quickly became clear why fans were worried about that. Just four minutes in, Iran took the lead through an improvised finish from Sardar Azmoun. They remained in the ascendancy thereafter, creating a couple of golden chances to go two up. Soon enough, though, Qatar were back in the game thanks to a deflected shot that looped over Alireza Beiranvand and dropped in the goal.
The match then devolved into an incredibly end-to-end affair as both sides were happy to play quite directly and transitioned back and forth. Iran continued to create presentable chances, but it was Qatar who took the lead thanks to a moment of magic from star forward Akram Afif.
Just as they had done against Uzbekistan, the hosts then seemed to drop too deep defensively and began to invite a lot of pressure. Bodies flew everywhere as they defended for dear life in their box, but that clearly was not a sustainable approach. Just a few minutes into the second half, Iran won a penalty which Alireza Jahanbaksh duly converted.
Team Melli kept up the momentum thereafter, but Qatar somehow managed to keep the scores level through some desperate last-ditch defending. Better yet, they took the lead against the run of play in the 81st minute when Almoez Ali clinically slotted home a finish after the ball broke to him in the box. Iran received a late red card too as they threw in the kitchen sink in search of an equaliser, which somehow evaded them. So, they fell short in an incredibly high-octane semi-final.
Having created more, and better quality chances, Amir Ghalenoei’s side will rightly feel hard done by that result. Iran have not reached the Asian Cup final since their third-consecutive triumph in 1976, so this result might mark the end of their hopes for another generation of players.
Looking ahead: Final
An incredible all-Arab final is in store for us this Saturday, as Jordan take on Qatar.
For Jordan, nothing can mar what is already a historic Asian Cup campaign. Reaching the semi-finals was a first for them, so going one better by beating South Korea (of all sides) is a massive achievement. They will not want to let this golden opportunity to lift a first-ever major trophy slip by easily, though, and between their solid defence and attacking star power, they have all the tools to get the job done at the Lusail Stadium.
Qatar too should be very proud of their campaign so far. No team has successfully defended the title since 2004, while such a feat has not been achieved on home soil since 1976. Going into the tournament, the Maroons did not look in the best of shape owing to the last-minute coaching change, but appointing Tintín Márquez now looks to be a masterstroke. His constant tinkering has raised many pre-match eyebrows from fans and opponents alike, but his familiarity with the players has meant that his decisions have paid off so far. One more masterstroke is sure to earn him a permanent spot in Qatari football folklore.
(Images from IMAGO)
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