Jordan secure comfortable win over Singapore

Posted on October 12, 2011 by SoccerPunter

Ambitious Jordan said they deserved to be rated as one of Asia’s top teams on Tuesday as they marched towards the final World Cup Asia qualifying round with a 3-0 win over Singapore.

Watched by national football boss and FIFA vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein at Singapore’s Jalan Besar Stadium, Jordan went ahead on 10 minutes and then scored twice in the second half to stay on maximum points in Group A.

The desert kingdom now appear certain to reach Asia’s last qualifying round for the first time as they bid to make an impression on football’s biggest stage at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

“(I) was very happy tonight, (my) team played very well and have a good result and the Jordan team is now closer than any more time to the fourth round,” Jordan coach Adnan Hamad said.

“I think the result is fair… (Singapore) is actually a good team but unfortunately they played against a powerful team like Jordan,” he added.

“I think that the Jordan team has become one of the best teams in Asia.”

Wins over Iraq, China had already put Jordan top of Group A and they soon lived up to their billing when Abdallah Deeb’s close-range header put the visitors in front.

Despite pre-match complaints about 6,000-seat Jalan Besar’s controversial synthetic pitch, the visitors almost doubled their lead minutes later but Odai Al Saify’s powerful strike was parried by Singapore goalkeeper Mohamad Izwan.

Singapore came to life and had a superb chance to equalise in the 19th minute, but Muhammad Safuwan’s header bounced off the pitch and over the crossbar.

And the hosts could not translate their determined forays into Jordan’s half into goals as their scoring boots deserted them in their opponent’s penalty box.

Singapore had a close shave almost immediately after the second half re-start when Abdallah struck the crossbar after meeting an inswinging cross in right front of goal.

But the second goal followed shortly afterwards when Anas Bani Yaseen used his head to flick on a powerful free kick past Singapore’s goalkeeper Izwan on 54 minutes.

Ahmad Hayel put the game past Singapore’s reach in the 64th minute when he slid a low shot to the left corner of the goal and past a diving Izwan from the edge of the penalty box.

Jordan could have made the scoreline more emphatic but for the heroics of goalkeeper Izwan, who saved well when a well-placed pass put Ahmad Hayel clear on goal.

Singapore had the ball in the net in the 76th minute but Shahril Ishak’s thunderous strike was ruled out for offside.

While Jordan now have nine points from three games, Singapore remain on zero and may have to win all three remaining fixtures to reach the next round.

“We have mathematically three more games, I think if we can collect the maximum points we still stand a chance to qualify,” said assistant coach V. Sundramoorthy.

Results for World Cup Asia Qualifiers

Group A:
Singapore 0 Jordan 3
China 0 Iraq 1

Group B:
Lebanon 2 Kuwait 2
South Korea 2 United Arab Emirates 1

Group C:
Japan 8 Tajikistan 0
North Korea 0 Uzbekistan 1

Group D:
Australia 3 Oman 0
Thailand 0 Saudi Arabia 0

Group E:
Indonesia 2 Qatar 3