Yazan Al Arab credited head coach Hussein Ammouta for inspiring Jordan to their 1-0 victory over debutants Tajikistan in their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ quarter-final on Friday.
Jordan surprised many with their exciting 3-2 win over Iraq in the Round of 16 and Ammouta’s charges did it again on Friday, seeing off the spirited challenge of their Central Asian opponents at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
Both teams toiled for 65 minutes until Jordan turned on the pressure, forcing Tajikistan into conceding an own goal – Vahdat Hanonov deflecting Ehsan Haddad’s header into his own net – to send the West Asian side into the AFC Asian Cup semi-finals for the first time.
“We are thrilled to have reached this historic moment by qualifying for the next stage,” said Player of the Match Al Arab.
“This achievement is a result of our hard work, dedication, and adherence to the head coach’s instructions. We are grateful to our fans for their support, and tonight, we celebrate our victory over Tajikistan.”
The win has not only given Jordan a confidence boost for their semi-final against two-time AFC Asian Cup winners Korea Republicr, but also ignited belief that they can reach the final.
“Tomorrow marks the beginning of our preparations to reach the final. The royal family has been our biggest supporters, and we will continue to fight until the final minute, always ready to make our fans happy.”
“The head coach played a crucial role in calming the players down, developing the right mentality, and helping us forget the previous match (against Iraq) to focus on upcoming challenges.
“As we move into the semi-finals, we must concentrate. It’s the first time we’ve reached this stage, being among the top four teams, and we need to put the Tajikistan win behind us and focus on the task at hand.”
BY: Nadeem Faisal Baiga
