Ammouta’s back-to-basics approach sets Jordan up for a shot at Asian Cup glory against Qatar

Mousa Al-Tamari, left, translated Jordan’s dominant tactical display into goals in front of a partisan crowd at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, Qatar on Feb. 6, 2024. (AP)
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Updated 09 February 2024
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Ammouta’s back-to-basics approach sets Jordan up for a shot at Asian Cup glory against Qatar

  • Moroccan coach’s conservative tactics, as well as the counterattacking threat of Yazan Al-Naimat and Mousa Al-Tamari, could see a historic first title for Al-Nashama

Tournaments, by design, are unpredictable, but for better or worse, this is what sets the narratives in international football. It is safe to say that Jordan not only changed the narrative but also produced a seismic shift in the way the continent will view them in future.

Coming into this tournament, Jordan was nothing more than a plucky underdog. It had the best record of the Levantine nations at the AFC Asian Cup finals; not much of a standard considering the fact that Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon had never progressed past the group stage before Qatar 2023.

Al-Nashama had never won a knockout stage game at an Asian Cup before their 3-2 triumph over Iraq. After losing to Vietnam on penalties in the last edition, it seemed that this team was hexed. Couple that with failure to advance to the third round of World Cup qualification for the 2018 and 2022 editions of the FIFA World Cup and it seemed that Jordan was destined to keep falling just short.

The Jordan FA made a big splash with the appointment of Hussein Ammouta, who has become a national hero for leading Al-Nashama to the semifinals and now the final of the Asian Cup for the first time. It is worth noting that he was persona non grata in the Hashemite kingdom before the tournament.

Ammouta arrived in Amman looking to fundamentally change the way Jordan plays. The team was supposed to become the carbon copy of his Morocco A side that eviscerated Asian opponents Palestine, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia at FIFA Arab Cup in 2021. During that tournament, Ammouta’s side dominated proceedings, averaging 60 percent possession, three goals a game, and holding their Asian counterparts to two total shots on goal during the group stage.

The secret to Jordan’s success has not been in replicating that style but going back to their roots. The Jordanians have always found joy in sitting and countering, and while Ammouta has not “parked the bus,” he has taken a page from his predecessor Adnan Hamad and set up the team in a midblock that preys on opponents’ mistakes in midfield.

In eight competitive matches under Ammouta, Jordan have never won when enjoying more possession. The team lost to Saudi Arabia in World Cup qualification and needed a last-gasp equalizer in Dushanbe to avoid defeat to Tajikistan in matches where they had 56 percent and 50 percent possession, respectively.

At the Asian Cup finals, Jordan have beaten Malaysia, Iraq, Tajikistan, and Korea with less of the ball. Their lone loss of their tournament — against Bahrain — featured 60 percent possession.

Rest assured the team has had its fair share of luck. Karma usually bites teams that lose strategically — as Jordan seemed to do against Bahrain — in order to avoid a stronger opponent (in this case Japan).

A controversial sending off of Aymen Hussein was the catalyst for an unlikely 3-2 comeback against Iraq with two goals in injury time overturning a 2-1 deficit.

In the quarterfinals, Jordan grinded out an ugly 1-0 victory against Tajikistan. After enjoying more possession in the first half, they ceded possession produced no shots on goal and found the winner through the most fortunate of deflections.

Their 2-0 demolition of Korea Republic on Tuesday, however, was not down to luck. Jordan were brilliant and were, in fact, unlucky not to take a lead into halftime. Yazan Al-Naimat and Mousa Al-Tamari translated Jordan’s dominant tactical display into goals in front of a partisan crowd at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

Possession stats perhaps do not always reflect the nature of the game. Korea had 70 percent of the ball, but managed zero shots on target. Jordan had seven. Jordan’s verve and vigor were clear to anyone watching.

Hosts and holders Qatar await the Jordanians on Saturday night. For their part, the Qataris were also not expected to be here having fired Carlos Queiroz a month before the tournament was due to start.

They, too, went back to tried-and-tested methods in this tournament. The stodgy defensive style of Queiroz never seemed a natural fit for players who had been brought up with the Aspire Academy’s FC Barcelona-influenced approach.

Dominating possession has been a feature of Al-Annabi in all their games bar the surprise win over Iran in the semifinal.

Qatar’s style of play suits this Jordanian side just fine who have masked the defensive frailties of their centerbacks and goalkeeper by playing a three-man backline. They have been further aided by wingbacks and midfielders who have been given a defense-first remit.

It was a switch to this formation that gave Ammouta his first win as Jordan manager — against Qatar no less — at the eighth time of asking.

After years of evangelizing a proactive approach, Ammouta and his Jordan side are now firm disciples of Jose Mourinho’s seven rules:

1. The game is won by the team who commits fewer errors.

2. Football favors whoever provokes more errors in the opposition.

3. Away from home, instead of trying to be superior to the opposition, it’s better to encourage their mistakes.

4. Whoever has the ball is more likely to make a mistake.

5. Whoever renounces possession reduces the possibility of making a mistake.

6. Whoever has the ball has fear.

7. Whoever does not have it is thereby stronger.

With Jordan riding a crest of positive emotion and fans already celebrating their achievement, there will be no pressure on Al-Nashama. If errors are provoked in the Qatari midfield then Jordan will present their most dangerous players, Al-Naimat and Al-Tamari, with the chance to take the Asian Cup back to Amman.


Chelsea ease past Djurgarden to reach Conference League final

Updated 3 min 1 sec ago
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Chelsea ease past Djurgarden to reach Conference League final

LONDON: Chelsea advanced to the final of the UEFA Conference League after a 1-0 win over Swedish side Djurgarden on Thursday sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory in their last-four tie.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall struck the only goal at Stamford Bridge late in the first half on a night 16-year-old Reggie Walsh became the youngest player to start a European game for Chelsea.
The Blues can become the first club to win all three of UEFA’s current competitions if they beat either two-time runners-up Fiorentina or Real Betis in Wroclaw on May 28.
Defender Marc Cucurella was the only player retained from the team that beat Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend as manager Enzo Maresca made sweeping changes to his line-up with an eye on Sunday’s crucial game at Newcastle.
The Italian has been criticized for his cautious tactics but he has fifth-placed Chelsea on course to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish in England.
Teenage midfielder Walsh made his debut off the bench in the 4-1 win in Stockholm a week ago as Chelsea seized control of the tie, but that result didn’t deter some 6,000 Djurgarden fans from making the trip to London for the second leg.
Dewsbury-Hall and Tyrique George forced saves from Djurgarden goalkeeper Jacob Rinne before the two Chelsea players combined to put the hosts in front in the 38th minute.
George threaded a pass through for Dewsbury-Hall who accelerated past a couple of defenders before sweeping in a crisp finish via the base of the post.
That goal killed off any remote hopes for Djurgarden, the first Swedish club to appear in a European semifinal since Gothenburg won the 1986-87 UEFA Cup.
Dewsbury-Hall had a chance to double his tally when he headed Malo Gusto’s cross straight at Rinne, but the visitors rarely threatened with the exception of a long-range shot from Daniel Stensson that was tipped over by Filip Jorgensen.
Chelsea haven’t won a major trophy since the 2021 Champions League, but they will be strong favorites to win their first silverware since Todd Boehly’s consortium took over from Roman Abramovich three years ago.


Man United and Tottenham reach Europa League final and are one win away from Champions League

Updated 7 min 34 sec ago
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Man United and Tottenham reach Europa League final and are one win away from Champions League

MANCHESTER, England: For Manchester United or Tottenham, a miserable campaign will end in Europa League glory.
Despite both teams languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League, the Champions League is now just one game away.
That’s the reward on offer after the two troubled English clubs advanced to the final of Europe’s second tier competition on Thursday.
United beat Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in the semifinal second leg at Old Trafford and won 7-1 on aggregate. Tottenham won 2-0 away at Bodø/Glimt to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory.
It sets up an all-English Europa League final for the second time in six years after Chelsea beat Arsenal to lift the trophy in 2019.
United came back from 1-0 down against Bilbao, with Mason Mount coming off the bench to score twice in the second half. Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund were also on target.
Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro struck for Tottenham against Bodø/Glimt in Norway.
A major title, alone, would be enough to salvage what has otherwise been a season to forget for both United and Spurs. But the added prize of a place in the lucrative Champions League would put the winner back among Europe’s elite next term.
That hasn’t looked likely for either team for most of the campaign as they have languished closer to the relegation zone than the top five.


Beckham and Neville part of new ownership group at English soccer club Salford

Updated 08 May 2025
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Beckham and Neville part of new ownership group at English soccer club Salford

  • Butt, Giggs, Scholes and Phil Neville are no longer shareholders
  • Beckham also is a co-owner of Major League Soccer club Inter Miami

LONDON: David Beckham and Gary Neville are part of a new consortium to have taken ownership of English fourth-tier soccer club Salford City.
The club were previously owned by Beckham, Neville and other former Manchester United teammates in their so-called “Class of ‘92” — Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Phil Neville — along with Singapore businessman Peter Lim.
A new ownership group, containing Beckham, Gary Neville and other shareholders from the United States, India and England, has bought Salford and have committed to “invest significantly in the club, the team and their facilities,” Salford said on Thursday.


Butt, Giggs, Scholes and Phil Neville are no longer shareholders but “will continue to contribute to the next step of this journey with roles in the club,” Salford said.
Beckham grew up in Salford and said he had “such fond memories of my time living there and the place and its people played such an important part in my early life in football.”
“Salford City is at the heart of its community ... it has a rich history and I am delighted to be a part of the next chapter.”
Beckham also is a co-owner of Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.
Neville said the consortium contains “a diverse range of minds and expertise, held together by a love of football.”
“Football will come first, however it’s critical that we drive the club toward sustainability in the next four, five years,” Neville said. “I can’t wait for the next part of this journey.”
Salford finished in eighth place — outside the playoff spots — in League Two this season.
Beckham said he has been inspired by Wrexham’s rise through English soccer under the ownership of Hollywood celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney since 2021.
“I’m not saying this is why we’re doing it because it’s not,” Beckham told The Athletic in an interview. “But I’ve spoken to Ryan about it so many times now and he said the feeling around the city, the feeling around the club, is so exceptional. That’s the kind of thing that we want to create.”
Beckham added that the dream was to take Salford to the Premier League.
“But there’s a lot of hard work and a lot of investment to be done up until that point,” he said.


FIFA picks 8 host cities for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil

Updated 08 May 2025
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FIFA picks 8 host cities for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil

  • Infantino: From stunning beaches to cosmopolitan cities, the world will experience the energy, color and warmth that only Brazil can offer
  • The host city selection process started in August of last year

SAO PAULO: Football’s international governing body has confirmed eight host cities for the 2027 Women’s World Cup to be held in Brazil.

FIFA announced the venues for the month-long tournament on Wednesday but hasn’t decided yet where the opening match and the final will take place.

All eight sites were among the 12 used for the men’s World Cup in 2014: Rio de Janeiro (Maracana Stadium), Sao Paulo (NeoQuimica Arena), Belo Horizonte (Mineirao Stadium), Brasília (Nacional Stadium), Fortaleza (Arena Castelao), Porto Alegre (Beira-Rio Stadium), Recife (Arena Pernambuco), and Salvador (Arena Fonte Nova).

“From stunning beaches to cosmopolitan cities, the world will experience the energy, color and warmth that only Brazil can offer,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

Some members of Brazil’s soccer confederation have said they want to hold the opening match at Sao Paulo and the final at the 78,000-seat Maracana, as it did in the 2014 World Cup.

Curitiba, Manaus and Natal, all venues for the men’s World Cup, were not included in the women’s tournament bid book. Belem was also left out.

The host city selection process started in August of last year. At the 2014 World Cup, players, fans and coaches criticized the choice of 12 host cities for a tournament that was widely spread across the country.

For this tournament, set for June 24-July 25, 2027, almost all host cities are either on the Brazilian coast or close to it, with the exception of the capital, Brasilia, and Belo Horizonte, two of the nation’s most populous cities.

Brazil will host the women’s tournament for the first time. Brazil is a five-time World Cup champion in men’s football but has never won the women’s global title.


PSG finish off Arsenal to reach Champions League final

Updated 08 May 2025
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PSG finish off Arsenal to reach Champions League final

  • Nevertheless, PSG made it 2-0 on the night when Dembele, on from the bench, teed up Hakimi to finish in style

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain clinched a place in the Champions League final as goals by Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi gave them a 2-1 win over Arsenal in the second leg of their last-four tie on Wednesday, securing a 3-1 aggregate triumph.
Ruiz crashed in a shot from the edge of the area in the 27th minute at the Parc des Princes to leave PSG firmly in the driving seat after they had withstood an early bombardment from the visitors.
Already leading in the tie after Ousmane Dembele’s goal in last week’s first leg, PSG then saw Vitinha have a second-half penalty saved.
However, Hakimi put the tie beyond Arsenal when he scored in the 72nd minute, even if Bukayo Saka did then pull one back for the visitors.
PSG advance to a showdown in Munich on May 31 against Inter Milan, and it will be the second Champions League final in their history, five years after a defeat by Bayern Munich in Lisbon.
Arsenal, meanwhile, saw their European dream come to an end as they fell short of reaching what would have been their second final, 19 years after losing to Barcelona in Paris.
Still without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, all that is left to play for now for Mikel Arteta’s side is securing a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League.
There was an electric atmosphere all evening in Paris, and PSG were able to celebrate getting to a final in front of their fans for the first time, after their victory against RB Leipzig in the last four in 2020 was played behind closed doors during the pandemic.
There was a feverish mood in and around the ground pre-match, but PSG have tripped up in big Champions League ties plenty of times over the last decade.
In addition, their top scorer Dembele was not in the starting line-up having come off with a hamstring problem in the first leg.
Arsenal, with Thomas Partey back in midfield after missing the first leg through suspension, did their best to silence the raucous home support by throwing everything at the Parisians right from the off.
Declan Rice headed just wide, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Gabriel Martinelli from close range before producing a stunning save low to his left to keep out a Martin Odegaard shot, all inside the opening eight minutes.
PSG did eventually settle, and they almost went ahead on 17 minutes when Desire Doue teed up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose curling shot hit the far post.
Then Doue wasted a great chance, shooting straight at David Raya in the Arsenal goal after Bradley Barcola had intercepted a loose ball.
But PSG did score before the half-hour mark, the goal coming in the wake of a free-kick awarded for a Rice foul on Kvaratskhelia.
Vitinha’s delivery was headed out by Partey but fell to Ruiz on the edge of the box, and he controlled before smashing in a left-foot shot as the ball bounced back up.
It was the ideal moment for the 29-year-old Spaniard to score his first Champions League goal.
Barcola failed to convert a good chance for the hosts to score again moments later, and Arsenal still had some hope going into the second half.
Only another stunning Donnarumma save with his fingertips prevented Saka from pulling one back on 64 minutes, before PSG were awarded a spot-kick.
German referee Felix Zwayer gave the penalty after being summoned to the pitchside monitor when a shot by Hakimi brushed the outstretched hand of Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Arteta was furious at the decision, yet Vitinha’s kick was turned away by Raya diving to his left.
Nevertheless, PSG made it 2-0 on the night when Dembele, on from the bench, teed up Hakimi to finish in style.
This being PSG, however, there was a wobble as Saka quickly pulled one back from close range after Arsenal substitute Leandro Trossard had got the better of Marquinhos on the wing.
Saka then somehow blazed over with an open goal gaping from Riccardo Calafiori’s cross, ensuring that there would be no miracle Arsenal comeback and it would be PSG’s night.