Perhaps overshadowed by Palestine’s incredible effort in emerging from the groups, or Tajikistan’s rousing run to the last eight on debut, Jordan’s Asian Cup history-makers deserve considerable credit for their Qatar campaign, too.
Never before beyond the quarter-finals of the continent’s marquee event, they stand one match from the showpiece, two from winning the whole thing.
Among the four finest teams at this 24-nation Asian Cup, they go into Tuesday’s semi-final against South Korea as the lowest-ranked side remaining, comfortably so, at 87th.
Unlike the Koreans (23), or Iran (21) or Japan (17) who contest the other semi-final on Wednesday, Jordan have never lifted the trophy. To make it to the present point, even in a tournament of underdogs and upsets, has been remarkable.
At the outset of the rescheduled 2023 edition, Jordan were a decent shout, granted, to advance from a Group E containing South Korea, Bahrain and Malaysia, even if that meant as one of the phase’s best third-placed sides.
Yet the sense was that the last 16 would be their ceiling. They didn’t arrive in Doha in the best of form. In November, Jordan began qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a draw in Tajikistan – that can now be considered a commendable return – and home defeat to Saudi Arabia.
Only days before the Asian Cup kicked off, they were beaten 6-1 by Japan, admittedly favourites for the title, in a supposed friendly. It extended a winless sequence to eight.
But in Qatar, Jordan found their groove. They opened with a 4-0 victory against Malaysia, then were minutes and an own goal away from a famous win against South Korea.
In injury-time, defender Yazan Al Arab deflected the ball into his net and Jurgen Klinsmann’s side escaped with a 2-2 draw. The 1-0 defeat in the group finale to Bahrain, with progression secure and the team heavily rotated, did not therefore rank as much of a setback.
Again, though, the first knockout stage felt their limit. Two-one down until the 95th minute against Iraq, reigning Arabian Gulf champions and conquerors of Japan in the groups, Jordan rallied. They scored twice in quick succession, rendering redundant their much-fancied rivals.
Jordan were through, into a quarter-final, to equal their previous best in the Asian Cup, from 2004 and 2011. They would go one better: a 1-0 triumph against Tajikistan was without frills, but it was enough. Jordan had created history.
The record-setting route to South Korea on Tuesday has been built, in part, on those old Jordanian dependables: they are dogged, determined, defensively robust. But this team are dynamic, also.
Hussein Ammouta, the understated yet hugely respected Moroccan manager, has created a side lightning fast on the counter, its collection of mobile forwards a handful for any opponent.
On Monday, when fronting the pre-match press conference, Klinsmann said of Jordan that they possess “very special players who can hurt you”. He should know; that 2-2 draw, very nearly a catastrophic defeat for the under-pressure German, played out little more than two weeks previously, still fresh in the memory.
In referencing Jordan’s standout footballers, Klinsmann will no doubt have had Mousa Al Taamari at the forefront of his mind. The skilled Montpellier winger remains relatively underrated; he is an outlier, a player from the Gulf who not only chose the challenge of furthering his career in Europe, but excelled as well.
Al Taamari shone in Cyprus, then in Belgium, and now in France. He scored twice in Qatar against Malaysia. Fortunately for Jordan, the injury he sustained during Friday's quarter-final has not ruled him out of arguably the biggest match in his country’s history.
Al Taamari’s availability has been offset, however, by the suspensions of two key players in defender Salem Al Ajalin and striker Ali Olwan. But South Korea will be missing one of their crucial cogs, too: Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, named Serie A’s best defender last season by dint of helping Napoli to the Scudetto, picked up a yellow card in the last-gasp win against Australia.
With Asian superstar Son Heung-min, Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Hwang Hee-chan still to call upon, South Korea are rightly favourites, even if they had taken a more arduous road than Jordan.
They required penalties to see off Saudi Arabia, then extra-time against Australia. Contesting a fifth semi-final in seven editions, the two-time champions seek to snap a 64-year wait for the trophy.
That can only amplify the pressure, even if on Monday both Klinsmann and midfielder Hwang In-beom spoke of being emboldened by expectation.
Jordan, in contrast, have no such burden. Unbound by Ammouta, and embellished by Al Taamari’s talent, a first Asian Cup semi-final brings with it the possibility of what may be.
Already a success in Qatar, maybe another of the tournament’s stirring tales has some way to go yet.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)
Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),
Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),
Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm)
Benevento v Napoli (6pm)
Parma v Spezia (6pm)
Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)
Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)
Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MATCH INFO
Who: France v Italy
When: Friday, 11pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPAD%20(2022)
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Huddersfield Town permanent signings:
- Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
- Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
- Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
- Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
- Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
- Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
- Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
- Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer
Honeymoonish
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The%20Kitchen
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EDaniel%20Kaluuya%2C%20Kibwe%20Tavares%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKane%20Robinson%2C%20Jedaiah%20Bannerman%2C%20Hope%20Ikpoku%20Jnr%2C%20Fiona%20Marr%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
25%20Days%20to%20Aden
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Scoreline
Liverpool 3
Mane (7'), Salah (69'), Firmino (90')
Bournemouth 0
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners
Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Racecard
6.35pm: The Madjani Stakes – Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.10pm: Evidenza – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m
7.45pm: The Longines Conquest – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,000m
8.20: The Longines Elegant – Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (D)
8.35pm: The Dubai Creek Mile – Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Mirdif Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,400m
10.05pm: The Longines Record – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,900m
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
