Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Melbourne: Hamza Al Dardour became only the fourth player in the history of the AFC Asian Cup to score four goals in a single game as two-time quarter-finalists Jordan kept their knockout stage hopes alive with a resounding 5-1 win over Palestine in Group D on Friday.
Match highlights: Palestine 1-5 Jordan
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Yousef Ahmad’s eye-catching strike 12 minutes before half-time at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium settled any nerves for Jordan, who had previously not won a match since their final AFC Asian Cup qualifier in March 2013 having suffered a 1-0 defeat by Iraq in Monday’s tournament opener.
And with recalled striker Al Dardour netting twice inside the final ten minutes of the first half before scoring twice inside the final 15 minutes, Jordan will remain in Melbourne to face defending champions Japan on Tuesday still in contention to maintain their 100% record of qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Debutants Palestine, though, will travel to Canberra to face Iraq facing an uphill battle to still progress having earlier lost 4-0 to Japan despite Jaka Hbaisha netting their historic first AFC Asian Cup goal with five minutes remaining.
With both sides looking to bounce back from opening defeats, AFC Challenge Cup 2014 winners Palestine almost opened the scoring after just five minutes as only an alert one-handed save from Jordan goalkeeper Amer Shafi turned Hisham Salhi’s vicious dipping strike from 25 yards onto the crossbar.
Jordan did settle into the contest as the half progressed, although Palestine goalkeeper Ramzi Saleh remained largely untested as Abdallah Deeb flashed an effort just wide of the post midway through the opening 45 minutes.
But Saleh could do little 12 minutes before half-time as Jordan quickly worked the ball across and into the left hand corner of the penalty area for Ahmad, and with the midfielder given time to steady himself and pick his spot, he expertly curled the ball into the top corner past the despairing dive of the Palestine goalkeeper.
Less than two minutes later Saleh was again beaten as the custodian was drawn out of position by Deeb as the striker charged into the area before the Jordan forward played the ball across the six yard area for Al Dardour to slide in bravely at the back post.
And with the last kick of the first half Jordan added a third in stoppage time as Al Dardour, who did not feature during the opening defeat by Iraq, stabbed home from close range as Saleh was unable to cut out Odai Al Saify’s drilled first-time cross.
Palestine looked to recover from a disastrous end to the first half and came out strongly after half-time, with only a superb one-handed block from Shafi denying Abdulhamid Abuhabib, although at the other end, Saleh had to be on his toes to push Oday Zahran’s lofted effort over the crossbar.
Ahmed Al Hassan’s side continued to press in the closing stages, but with 15 minutes remaining, Al Dardour completed his hat-trick with a superb solo goal as the striker coolly beat Saleh having picked the ball up just inside Palestine’s half.
And five minutes later Al Dardour joined Iranian duo Behtash Fariba and Ali Daei and Bahrain’s Ismail Abdullatif on the list of players to score four goals at the AFC Asian Cup as the striker stabbed home Zahran’s cross from just outside the six yard area.
There was, though, still time for Palestine to net their first AFC Asian Cup goal as Hbaisha netted from close range with five minutes remaining.
Photo: WSG