Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta and Qatar coach Marquez Lopez shake hands following a press conference, yesterday.
History beckons for hosts Qatar and Jordan as they square off in the highly-anticipated AFC Asian Cup final, eyeing glory at the iconic Lusail Stadium this evening.
Defending champions Qatar are eager to wrap up their dream run in the tournament by lifting the coveted trophy in front of home fans at the 88000-capacity venue, where Lionel Messi’s Argentina defeated France in the epic World Cup final 14 months ago.
The victory would make Qatar only the fifth nation in the event’s history to win back-to-back titles along with South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Japan. Jordan will look to cap their phenomenal campaign with the maiden crown.
Not many had predicted the final but the two teams tamed the likes of Iran and South Korea on their way to the title clash, emerging as the deserving finalists after a string of incredible performances.
The home side, coached by Marquez Lopez, won all their six matches in the title defence extending their Asian Cup winning streak to 13 games after a hard-fought semi-final victory over Iran, who defeated Japan in the quarter-finals.
After coming out as the surprise winners from their group, Hussein Ammouta’s Jordan knocked title contenders South Korea out in the semi-finals after beating Iraq and Tajikistan in the knockout stage earlier.
Second place ‘not enough’ for Lopez
Lopez believed the team will deliver its best in the final despite getting little rest following a breathless Iran clash on Wednesday night.
“It was a short turnaround, with players having only two days to recover after the semi-final. Rest and recovery were crucial, especially considering we’re facing a team we highly respect,” the Spaniard said on the eve of the final he dubbed as “a match between brothers."
“I’m confident all my players are more than capable and deserving of playing in this tournament. I have always emphasised knowing each player’s strengths and how they can contribute. Every player has played a role in getting us to where we are now. This is a fundamental part of our philosophy.”
Qatar will heavily rely on the trio of Akram Afif, Almoez Ali and Hasan Al Haydos, who have shared 10 goals in the tournament so far, with the coach praising the seasoned campaigners who were also instrumental in Qatar’s title win in 2019.
“Players are not machines; they run and play hard. It’s normal for their performance to fluctuate. Iran made a comeback and almost scored, but we also had chances to score. No player can maintain peak performance for the entire 90 minutes, but we were giving our best to secure the win,” said Lopez before hoping players’ resolve would help them overcome the pressure of the final.
“In the final, there will always be pressure, especially against a team that has performed well throughout the tournament. However, we are here with the same courage and determination, aspiring only to win. That’s what matters most to us,” he said.
Lopez praised Ammouta for his brilliant coaching as Jordan made it to the final having started the tournament as 13th-best team in Asian.
“Ammouta is exceptional, having experience of coaching in Qatar. We are determined to compete fiercely and play our best to win the match. Second place will not be enough – we aim to be the best in Asia.”
We aim to exceed expectations: Ammouta
Jordan are playing their first major final but Ammouta said his team would enter the pitch without pressure with sights set on the trophy.
“We don’t need to explain how important the final match is, as both teams want to win a historic title. We prepare for the final as normal, without adding any more pressure on the players, and we hope to produce a performance that reflects our team level, and what we produced to reach the final,” he said.
“This match is very important, and may witness the first major title for Jordan football.”
The 54-year-old Moroccan is not new to Qatari football, having played for Qatar SC and Al Sadd before coaching the Wolves from 2012 to 2015. He said the home side would be a tough nut to crack.
“Qatar are defending champions and playing at home, making them formidable opponents. It’s not easy to play against them. It’s not easy to achieve what they have done,” said Ammouta.
He said a 2-1 victory over Al Annabi in a pre-tournament friendly will have little impact in the final but hoped for a repeat.
“We played a friendly match (before the tournament) and it was challenging to secure the win against Qatar. Despite anticipating difficulty, we are all united in aiming to cross the finish line successfully. We aim to exceed expectations,” the coach said.
