The Asian Cup quarter-finals start on Friday with a pair of groups showing at this stage of the competitors for the primary time as Tajikistan and Jordan face off at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.
Match preview
Regardless of having solely 34% possession of their knockout match, Tajikistan appeared poised for a snug victory earlier than a late aim by the UAE introduced them again.
Though the Asian Cup debutants ought to have sealed the sport within the second half, they confirmed composure within the shootout, profitable their first-ever event knockout fixture because the 2023 Merdeka Match.
Tajikistan has solely misplaced one among their final 9 aggressive matches and has conceded one aim or much less in every of these video games.
They’ve conceded two of the three targets within the second half of this event, with the primary aim being conceded on two events.
Whereas they gave up a late aim within the spherical of 16, Tajikistan stays unbeaten of their final six matches when scoring the opening aim.
Tajikistan has an undefeated report in opposition to Jordan of their earlier two conferences, profitable 1-0 in a pleasant in February 2021 and drawing 1-1 in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match final November.
Jordan has been no stranger to late dramatics within the 2023 Asian Cup, and it proved useful for them within the spherical of 16 as they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
On matchday two, Jordan conceded an own-goal equalizer to South Korea in a 2-2 draw, and on Monday, they mounted a dramatic comeback by scoring within the ninety fifth and 97th minute to safe victory in opposition to Iraq.
All three of Jordan’s targets in opposition to Iraq got here in both the primary or second-half stoppage time, and their final 4 targets have been scored in these intervals as properly.
Now, Jordan has an opportunity to attain one thing they haven’t executed since September 2022 – win consecutive worldwide matches.
This would be the third time Jordan performs a quarter-final match on the Asian Cup, having narrowly misplaced 2-1 to Uzbekistan in 2011 and suffered a 4-3 defeat on penalties in opposition to Japan in 2004 after a 1-1 draw.
Jordan has gained three of their 5 earlier encounters with Tajikistan, conceding solely two targets in these matches.
Group Information
Tajikistan made just one change to their beginning lineup from matchday three to the spherical of 16 conflict, with Shahrom Samiev changing Rustam Soirov.
Mukhammadzhon Rakhimov collected his fiftieth cap for the nationwide workforce, whereas Ehson Panjshanbe and Parvizdzhon Umarbayev are one cap away from reaching that milestone. Akhtam Nazarov has made 80 appearances.
Vakhdat Khanonov scored his third aim for the nationwide workforce of their final match, but it surely was Rustam Yatimov who emerged because the hero by saving a Caio Canedo penalty, permitting Alisher Shukurov to attain the profitable spot-kick.
After receiving a crimson card in stoppage time in opposition to Iraq, Jordan will probably be with out Hamza Al-Dardour for this match.
Yazan Al-Arab reached 50 caps for the senior facet of their spherical of 16 conflict, Rajaei Ayed is 2 caps away from that milestone, and Mohammad Abu Zrayq made his twenty fifth look of their earlier match.
Yazan Al-Naimat opened the scoring for Jordan in opposition to Iraq, with Al-Arab and Nizar Al-Rashdan additionally discovering the online.
Attainable beginning lineups:
Tajikistan: (4-3-3)
Yatimov;
Safarov, Khanonov, Dzhuraboyev, Nazarov;
Shukorov, Rakmimov, Umarbayev;
Soiroz, Samiev, Khamrokulov
Jordan: (3-4-3)
Abu Layla;
Nasib, Al-Arab, Al-Ajalin;
Haddad, Al-Rashdan, Rateb, Al-Mardi;
Al-Taamari, Al-Naimat, Al-Dardour
Prediction: Tajikistan 2-1 Jordan
Each groups have proven nice resilience just lately, however we lean in direction of Tajikistan as a result of they’ve carried out higher general and don’t have anything to lose at this stage.