Asian Cup: South Korea eliminated at the gates of the final by Jordan

After Japan's premature exit in the quarterfinals, South Korea was the favorite for the Asian Cup of Nations. But she was eliminated by the surprising Jordan 2-0 on Tuesday in the semi-final of the competition in Doha.

The Jordanians, who reached the last four for the first time in their history, dominated Tottenham star striker Heung-Min Son's Korea, thanks to goals from Yazan al-Naimat and Mousa al-Tamari and will challenge the Iran or Qatar, in the final.

Jordan made the difference in the second half: Yazan Al Naimat, well served by Mousa al-Tamari, won his duel with the Korean goalkeeper to open the scoring (53rd). Passer, then scorer, Tamari, the Montpellier nicknamed the “Jordanian Messi”, then cleared several defenders before adjusting the opposing goalkeeper to double the lead (66th).

South Korea, coached for a year by the German Jurgen Klinsmann, on the bench of Germany, Bayern or the United States, is once again stalling at the gates of the final, which it has no longer reached. since 2015.

The Koreans, eighth finalists at the 2022 World Cup, already in Qatar, after finishing second in their group ahead of Uruguay and Ghana, had taken on the role of favorites, in the wake of Spurs striker Heung-Min Son and Paris SG midfielder Lee Kang-In. The “Taeguk Warriors” have won the Asian Cup twice, the last time in 1960.

In the final, Jordan could face Qatar, host country and defending champion, or Iran, which has not won a continental title since 1976. The two countries face each other on Wednesday (4 p.m. Paris time).