Jordan Vs Qatar 2023 Asian Cup Final: The Ambition Of Making History

Hussein Ammouta, Jordanian coach and Marquez Lopez, Qatar coach, promised to give the best performance in the 2023 Asian Cup final (doc. AFC).

JAKARTA - The semifinals are complete. Two teams strolled into the 2023 Asian Cup final which was held at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar, on Saturday, February 10, 2024.

Jordan surprised after going through the game after the game without favoritism. In fact, in the semifinals they defeated the winning candidate team, South Korea, with a score of 2-0.

Qatar as the host has indeed been seeded from the start to appear in the final. They did not encounter any obstacles during the group stage.

Marquez Lopez's team only almost stopped in the quarter-finals against Uzbekistan. Luckily, they won in a penalty shootout drama.

After that, Qatar again impressed after overthrowing Iran's strong team in the semifinals with a score of 3-2 in a very tight match.

Jordan and Qatar's performances in the final both carried a mission to make history.

Jordan certainly wanted to taste their first Asian Cup title throughout their participation. So far, they have set a record for the first time qualifying for the top party.

Qatar is like three money. They are trying to defend the Asian Cup title they got in the 2019 edition.

They want to record history as the fifth country to win the Asian Cup in two consecutive editions.

However, those plans are not easy to realize.

Jordan is a dark horse that is not predicted to advance until the final. They can't be underestimated.

Hussein Ammouta's troops have an extraordinary fighting spirit. They are also considered as one of the teams with a strong defense.

Jordan conceded only five goals during the trip from the group stage to the semifinals.

"We don't need to explain how important the final match is because both teams want to win a historic title. We are preparing for the final as usual, without adding any pressure to the players."

"We look forward to producing a performance that reflects the level of our team and what we make to reach the final. This match is very important and may witness the first major title of Jordan football," Ammouta said.

"I am very satisfied with our achievements. It is a personal challenge for me to bring Jordan to the final and I have achieved what I am aiming for. We will have a full squad despite some minor injuries, but the players will be ready," he said again.

Before meeting Qatar in the 2023 Asian Cup final, Jordan had faced a team nicknamed The Maroons.

In a friendly match, Jordan defeated Qatar 2-1. However, that result cannot be used as a benchmark.

Ammouta thinks Qatar will be different, especially the opponent appears in front of his supporters.

"Qatar is defending champion and playing at home, making them tough opponents. It's not easy to play against them. It's not easy to achieve what they've done."

"We played a friendly match (before the tournament) and it was difficult to secure a victory against Qatar. Despite facing difficulties, we are all united in efforts to cross the finish line successfully. We aim to exceed expectations," said Ammouta.

Meanwhile, from the side of Qatar, they agreed that Jordan was not a team that deserved to be underestimated.

Qatar's slick appearance until the semifinals of the 2023 Asian Cup also cannot be used as a benchmark.

The only way to realize a dream is to prepare yourself as well as possible.

"The players only have two days to recover after the semifinals (against Iran). Rest and recovery are very important, especially considering we are facing a team that we really respect," said Lopez.

"I believe all of my players are more than capable and worthy of playing in this tournament. I always emphasize to know the strengths of each player and how they can contribute."

"Every player has played a role in bringing us to our current position. This is a fundamental part of our philosophy," he said again.

Just like Jordan, Qatar also carries the ambition to make history in the 2023 Asian Cup while making supporters happy. The 2023 Asian Cup winner is a fixed price.

Lopez promised his team would appear desperately against Jordan in order to achieve the target.

Moreover, Qatar's motivation was rising after seeing the slick appearance of the mainstay trio, namely Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, and Hasan Al Haydos, which had been an inspiration for the team until the 2023 Asian Cup final.

"Players are not machines that run and play hard. Naturally, their performance fluctuates. Iran has risen and almost scored, but we also have a chance to score."

"No player can maintain its peak performance for the full 90 minutes. However, we give our best to secure victory."

"In the final there will always be pressure, let alone against a team that performed well throughout the tournament. However, we are here with the same courage and determination, only aspire to win. That is the most important for us." In the end, competition pushed us, and each of us aims to be winners. Ammouta is extraordinary, has training experience in Qatar. We are determined to compete fiercely and perform optimally to win the match. Second place is not enough. We aim to be the best in Asia," said Lopez.

Judging by these two ambitions, the top match of the 2023 Asian Cup is predicted to be hot and interesting. Jordan and Qatar have shown their feasibility to arrive at the final party.