Al Dardour stars for Jordan, Japan tops Iraq
Print Edition
A FOUR-GOAL salvo by third choice striker Hamza Al Dardour has left Jordan coach Ray Wilkins with a “horrible” selection headache for its crunch Asian Cup Group D finale against holder Japan.
The speedy 23-year-old was only called in for yesterday’s match against Palestine after Ahmad Fayel was laid low by a botched doping test following the 0-1 loss to Iraq, but the first choice forward is expected to be fit for Tuesday’s decider.
Al Dardour, who plays with Saudi Arabian club Al Khaleej, will be hard to drop, though, after a scintillating display in Jordan’s 5-1 win in Melbourne.
A mazy run helped set up the first for Yousef Ahmad before he matched the record of four goals in an Asian Cup match with some swift pace and cool finishing.
“I was delighted for him because he’s not had many chances to play,” former England international Wilkins told reporters after securing a first victory since being appointed in September. “He’s got blistering pace and when he’s in front of goal he’ll stick in the net.
“Hamza was probably third choice behind Odai (Al Saify) and Hayel. He’s given me a horrible bloody headache that I’ve got to try and sort out.”
Japan beat Iraq 1-0 later yesterday to jump to the top of Group D with six points from two matches, a tally Jordan can match by beating the Samurai Blue in Melbourne next week.
Iraq faces rank outsider Palestine in Canberra at the same time where it is expected to claim a second win to also move on to six.
Head to head records will be used to split the teams first and Al Dardour was confident of causing a log jam by shocking Japan, which it beat in World Cup qualifying in 2013.
“Nothing is impossible in football, Japan is a big team and we can qualify and beat them,” he said. “The coach will have a plan so we can win.”
The plan might not necessarily include Al Dardour starting, though.
Wilkins said he expected the experienced Hayel back in training today.
“The situation has improved very well indeed which I’m thrilled,” Wilkins added of the forward who was said to have suffered hyperthermia after sitting in the cold doping room for four hours.
“He was in a pretty nasty way but we’ve got a lot of fluid into him.
“He looks as if he’ll be available to train tomorrow and then we’ll take it from there.”
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