Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Amman: Hamza Al Dardoor’s hat-trick ensured Jordan made the ideal start to their 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign with a 7-0 win over Cambodia on Tuesday.
Yaseen Bakheet, Odai Al Saify, Ahmad Saleh and Mousa Mohammad also struck for the home side at the King Abdullah II International Stadium.
And with Afghanistan and Vietnam sharing a 1-1 draw in their Group C opener in Dushanbe, Jordan find themselves two points clear at the top of the table as they seek to secure a third consecutive AFC Asian Cup appearance.
Al Dardoor, who scored four goals in Jordan’s 5-1 win over Palestine at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia, opened the scoring after 12 minutes with a close-range finish after Al Saify’s shot had been saved by Cambodia goalkeeper Um Sereirath.
And the two Jordan players again combined nine minutes later as Al Saify played in Al Dardoor, who raced clear and rounded the visiting custodian before finding the empty net.
Jordan added a third inside the first 20 seconds of the second half as Bakheet beat Um Sereirath from inside the penalty area.
Bakheet was again involved on the hour mark as his cross found Monther Abu Amara, who struck the post with his effort only for Al Saify to be on hand to follow up with Jordan’s fourth.
Substitute Saleh added a fifth two minutes later after being granted too much space inside the area before Al Dardoor finally completed his hat-trick with three minutes remaining as Jordan again took advantage of more poor Cambodia defending.
And Jordan sealed the comfortable win in the last minute as Mohammad skipped past a defender inside the area before curling his shot past Um Sereirath.
Photo: JFA