Sometimes there is nothing like a good ole whupping to liven up FIFA World Cup qualifying cylce. Today, we experienced our first, on Jordanian soil in Amman.Jordan used four different goalscorers to end the first half with a 4-0 lead. Three of those goalscorers scored again in the second half. Hasan Abdel Mahmoud found the netting four times, including three minutes into second half stoppage time. Nepal suffered the worst beating so far in this FIFA World Cup by a scoreline of 9-0 and will be playing for nothing more than pride during their home leg in five days' time.
Syria hosted Tajikistan in a matchup from which not many people knew what to expect. Syria were favorites, but they were playing the match in Amman, Jordan, and Tajikistan are rarely ever seen on the footballing scene. Syria took a last gasp lead from the first half after scoring their first in stoppage time.
However, right after the restart Tajikistan knotted the equalizer in the form of a road goal, evening the match and series at 1-1. Syria were glad to secure the victory with a goal around fifteen minutes before time was called, and the match did end by that 2-1 scoreline. The scoreline means that the return leg in Tursunzade will be incredibly interesting, with the hosts down only one goal and with a road goal in the bag. The story's final chapter will be written next Thursday.
Saudi Arabia hosted underdogs Hong Kong on an absolutely gorgeous field in Dammam. The match was closed until a spurt of genius play by the Saudis spanning both sides of the halftime led to the final result.
Saudi Arabia broke the offsides trap of Hong Kong with a perfectly laced cross and a subsequent chip finish by Nassir Al Shamrani in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. Two minutes more into stoppage time, Saudi Arabia pushed in a second goal off of headed ball from a free kick. Two minutes after the break, a free kick rolling through ball found Al Shamrani wide open in front of net, from where he finished his brace.
Saudi Arabia takes its deserved 3-0 aggregate lead into Hong Kong in five days looking to join the other Asian giants in the third round of qualifying. Hong Kong will have to play without the six minute lapse of concentration that doomed them in the first leg.
Goals:
Jordan
Hasan Abdel Mahmoud 10, 74, 84, 90+3
Amer Khalil Deeb 23, 57
Ahmad Kayel 32, 68
Abd Allah Deeb 45+1
Syria
George Mourad 45+1
Raja Rafe 77
Tajikistan
Kamel Saedov 47
Saudi Arabia
Nassir Al Shamrani 45+1, 47
Osama Al Harbi 45+3
Match Reports:
Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmtjl8GHNVM (Jordan v. Nepal)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SvVx7TNICU (Syria v. Tajikistan)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYKJA3iYH1M (Saudi Arabia v. Hong Kong)
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