Jordan 1 - Uzbekistan 1; Jordan advance on PKs

Tashkent was the site of the second leg between hosts Uzbekistan and visiting Jordan.  The series was tied 1-1 heading into tonight's game.  Jordan conceded a close free kick five minutes into the affair.  Server Djeparov's dipping shot brought out a nice save from Jordan goalkeeper Amer Sabbah, but Uzbek centerback Anzur Ismailov was there to push home the rebound and put the home side ahead 1-0 on the night.  With the first half nearing its close, Jordan had an equalizer appear out of thin air.  Jordan midfielder Saeed Murjan settled a clearance from Uzbekistan and then half-volleyed off the bounce from twenty-nine yards away.  The score at recess was 1-1, and the series was knotted at 2-2.

The second half featured a more cautious approach to the game, with both teams fearing a conceded goal that would see them eliminated from the competition.  Uzbekistan were nowhere nearly as good as they were in the first leg, while Jordan look decidedly more apt tonight than they did four days ago.  The second half ended with the score tied 1-1.  Extra time would be needed to decide this match as the teams were tied 2-2 on aggregate and 1-1 on away goals.  Away goals apply to extra time in FIFA World Cup qualifiers, so Uzbekistan still had to be wary of conceding one goal and thusly needing two to avoid elimination.

The floodlights in the stadium shut off ten minutes into the first period of extra time with Uzbekistan in possession.  The unexpected cessation in play sapped the energy and flow from the match, and it was little surprise that no attacking initiative was presented in the second period of extra time.  Both teams were too fearful of conceding to go for the victory.  The final whistle blew for a second time with the teams still even on the scoreboard and in the series.

Penalties would be needed to decide which side would go to the intercontinental playoffs against the fifth-place team in South America.  Jordan had a chance to win in the fifth frame, but Ahmad Hayel could not put the match away, missing well wide of target.  However, Jordan won the shootout in the tenth frame when Ismailov could not score for Uzbekistan as he shot was pushed straight and softly into Sabbah.  Jordan take the shootout 9-8 and will host the first leg of the intercontinental playoffs in November.  Uzbekistan see their hopes of making it to Brasil 2014 extinguished in excruciating fashion.

Goals
Uzbekistan
Anzur Ismailov 5

Jordan
Saeed Murjan 42

Penalty Kick Shootout:
Jordan (kicked first)
Anas Bani Yaseen - goal
Odai Al-Saify - goal
Abdallah Deeb - goal
Saeed Murjan - goal
Ahmad Hayel - miss
Adnan Adous - goal
Mohammad Mustafa - goal
Amer Deeb - goal
Oday Zahran - goal
Mohammad Al-Dmeiri - goal

Uzbekistan (kicked second)
Odil Ahmedov - miss
Server Djeparov - goal
Timur Kapadze - goal
Islom Tukhtakhodjaev - goal
Igor Sergeev - goal
Akmal Shorakhmedov - goal
Vitaliy Denisov - goal
Ivan Nagaev - goal
Sanzhar Tursunov - goal
Anzur Ismailov - saved

Match Reports:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/jordan-stun-uzbekistan-in-penalty-shootout-to-reach-world-cup-intercontinental-play-off/story-fni2wcjl-1226716556598

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41UAsq-K1ug

Penalty Shootout:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ePIR6mfxQc

Uzbekistan 1 - Jordan 1

Amman was the site of Jordan's home leg in their two-legged series against Uzbekistan with a berth in the intercontinental playoffs at stake.  Uzbekistan were the team with all the initiative in the opening period, but Jasur Khasanov could never get the final pass correct.  Jordan took advantage against the run of play.  Musab Al Laham (pictured, white) touched a short pass to Hassan Mahmoud, who then touched another short pass to Ahmad Ibrahim.  Ibrahim's run drew all three remaining defenders, who chose not to follow the run of Al Laham, who was able to beat the goalkeeper to the near post.  Later in the half, Khasanov finally got a ball right, as he laid a pass off to Server Djeparov.  The side-foot shot was not kept out by Jordan goalkeeper Amer Sabbah, who would be disappointed by his effort.  The half ended all-square at one goal apiece.

The second half was much more subdued, though Jordan started pushing hard for the victory in the final five minutes.  A sliding block in the final minute by Anzur Ismailov on Oday Al-Saifi prevented a Jordanian winner.  Uzbekistan left back Vitaliy Denisov was surely the player of the match.  The match ends 1-1, with Uzbekistan holding a slight advantage in the two-legged series through an away goal.  The series concludes on Tuesday in Uzbekistan.

Goals
Jordan
Musab Al Laham 30

Uzbekistan
Server Djeparov 35

Match Reports:
http://www.goal.com/en/match/111964/jordan-vs-uzbekistan/report

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQWgA0iCOpg

Match Schedule: September 2013

September 2013 marks the beginning of the home stretch for qualifying for Brasil 2014.  Asia will feature one elimination with the playoff between Uzbekistan and Jordan taking place.  Africa will feature nine eliminations and seven teams advancing into round three.  South America could very well see Argentina qualify and both Paraguay and Bolivia given the boot.  Europe is sure to see at least nine eliminations of its own with a group leader or two clinching an early berth.  Even North America could witness some clarity with Jamaica teetering on the verge of elimination and the United States of America close to booking flights to Brasil next summer.

All times are given in Central Time (GMT-5).

6 September 2013
Faroe Islands at Kazakhstan 10:00 Astana
Luxembourg at Russia 10:30 Kazan
Uzbekistan at Jordan 11:00 Amman
Armenia at Czech Republic 11:00 Prague
Zambia at Ghana 11:00 Kumasi
Cyprus at Norway 12:00 Oslo
Andorra at Turkey 13:00 Kayseri
San Marino at Ukraine 13:00 Lviv
Hungary at Romania 13:00 Bucharest
Wales at Macedonia 13:00 Skopje
Denmark at Malta 13:00 Ta' Qali
Lithuania at Latvia 13:10 Riga
France at Georgia 13:15 Tbilisi
Slovakia at Bosnia and Herzegovina 13:15 Zenica
Spain at Finland 13:30 Helsinki
Netherlands at Estonia 13:30 Tallinn
Albania at Slovenia 13:30 Ljubljana
Iceland at Switzerland 13:30 Bern
Croatia at Serbia 13:45 Belgrade
Montenegro at Poland 13:45 Warsaw
Greece at Liechtenstein 13:45 Vaduz
Bulgaria at Italy 13:45 Palermo
Austria at Germany 13:45 Munich
Portugal at Northern Ireland 13:45 Belfast
Sweden at Ireland 13:45 Dublin
Moldova at England 14:00 London
Belgium at Scotland 14:00 Glasgow
Ecuador at Colombia 15:30 Barranquilla
Bolivia at Paraguay 17:30 Asuncion
Venezuela at Chile 19:30 Santiago
Honduras at Mexico 20:30 Mexico City
United States of America at Costa Rica 21:00 San Jose
Jamaica at Panama 21:00 Panama City
Uruguay at Peru 21:30 Lima

7 September 2013
Botswana at South Africa 8:30 Durban
Ethiopia at Central African Republic 8:30 Brazzaville, Congo
Liberia at Angola 10:00 Lubango
Malawi at Nigeria 10:00 Calabar
Congo at Niger 10:30 Niamey
Gabon at Burkina Faso 10:30 Ouagadougou
Equatorial Guinea at Sierra Leone 11:30 Freetown
Tanzania at Gambia 11:30 Bakau
Morocco at Cote d'Ivoire 12:00 Abidjan
Azerbaijan at Israel 12:45 Ramat Gan
Cape Verde at Tunisia 13:45 Rades
Uganda at Senegal 14:00 Marrakesh, Morocco

8 September 2013
Mozambique at Zimbabwe 8:00 Harare
Namibia at Kenya 8:00 Nairobi
Libya at Cameroon 9:30 Yaounde
Rwanda at Benin 10:00 Porto-Novo
Democratic Republic of Congo at Togo 10:30 Lome
Lesotho at Sudan 12:00 Omdurman

10 September 2013
Jordan at Uzbekistan 9:00 Tashkent
Guinea at Egypt 9:00 El-Gouna
Israel at Russia 10:00 Saint Petersburg
Liechtenstein at Lithuania 10:30 Marijampole
Sweden at Kazakhstan 11:00 Astana
Denmark at Armenia 11:00 Yerevan
Finland at Georgia 12:00 Tbilisi
Switzerland at Norway 12:00 Oslo
Turkey at Romania 13:00 Bucharest
Bulgaria at Malta 13:00 Ta' Qali
Bosnia and Herzegovina at Slovakia 13:15 Zilina
Northern Ireland at Luxembourg 13:15 Luxembourg
Slovenia at Cyprus 13:30 Nicosia
Scotland at Macedonia 13:30 Skopje
Estonia at Hungary 13:30 Budapest
Netherlands at Andorra 13:30 Andorra la Vella
England at Ukraine 13:45 Kyiv
Latvia at Greece 13:45 Piraeus
Ireland at Austria 13:45 Vienna
Czech Republic at Italy 13:45 Turin
Poland at San Marino 13:45 Serravalle
Germany at Faroe Islands 13:45 Torshavn
Serbia at Wales 13:45 Cardiff
France at Belarus 14:00 Gomel
Albania at Iceland 14:00 Reykjavik
Mali at Algeria 14:30 Blida
Ecuador at Bolivia 15:00 La Paz
Colombia at Uruguay 17:00 Montevideo
Peru at Venezuela 18:55 Puerto La Cruz
Costa Rica at Jamaica 19:00 Kingston
Mexico at United States of America 19:06 Columbus
Panama at Honduras 20:00 Tegucigalpa
Argentina at Paraguay 20:40 Asuncion

AFC Playoff Schedule

Uzbekistan and Jordan qualified for the AFC Playoff by virtue of finishing in third place in their AFC Fourth Round groups.  The AFC Playoff is played as a two-legged home-and-away series with the winner determined by aggregate score over the two matches.  The draw for which group's third-place team would host the first or second leg was held in Zurich on 19 March 2013.  Group Two was given the first leg at home and Group One was awarded the second leg at home.  The winner of the AFC Playoff advances to face the fifth-place South American team in the Intercontinental Playoffs.

6 September 2013
Uzbekistan at Jordan

10 September 2013
Jordan at Uzbekistan