AFC Asian Cup: Jordan Overcome Tajikistan to Reach their First Semi-Final

NEW DELHI: Jordan set up a semifinal against South Korea or Australia after ending Tajikistan’s fairytale Asian Cup run with a nervy 1-0 win on Friday.

In a cagey quarterfinal, a deflected second-half own goal was just about enough to see Jordan reach the last four for the first time.

It was tough on charismatic Croatian coach Petar Segrt and his Tajikistan team, which was the lowest-ranked side left in Qatar and won plenty of new friends in its first Asian Cup.

But it was a piece of history for Jordan under its Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta, the kingdom having been defeated in their previous quarterfinals in 2004 and 2011.

Jordan, ranked 87 to the 106 of Tajikistan, scored twice in stoppage time to stun Iraq 3-2 in the previous round and it made the better start in front of 36,000 spectators at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, a 2022 World Cup venue. IANS

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