India beat Thailand to post their first victory since 1964
▶ Anas Bani Yaseen’s first-half header enough to clinch shock 1-0 victory in Group B clash
Jordan manager Vital Borkelmans paid tribute to his players as they claimed a shock 1-0 win over defending champions Australia in their opening Asian Cup Group B clash yesterday in Al Ain.
Anas Bani Yaseen’s powerful first-half header proved the difference at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium as Australia failed to break down Jordan’s stubborn defensive ranks on a day of surprises with India thrashing Thailand 4-1 in Group A in Abu Dhabi.
“Today they were playing for the people of Jordan,” said Borkelmans. “They were running like they had three lungs.”
Australia, who had 76 per cent of possession but only six shots on target, were thwarted by a brilliant double save from Jordan’s Amir Shafi in the game’s dying moments.
It left the injury-hit Aussies with much to ponder ahead of Friday’s game against Palestine, when they will need a win to get their campaign up and running.
Graham Arnold, who led Australia to the 2007 quarter-finals in his first stint as manager, called the goal “sloppy” and rued a slow start.
“It was one of those days, a frustrating day when the ball just didn’t seem to bounce,” he said. “If you’re going to lose a game, it’s better to lose your first game.
“It’s a wake-up call ... it’s all about where we can improve. We’ll get over it very quickly.”
Australia bossed the opening exchanges but their Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan made the first save when he kept out Yousef Rawashdeh at his near post after Massimo Luongo was dispossessed.
Jordan were intent on breaking Australia’s flow and seeking chances on the break.
Their goal came from a corner on 26 minutes, when defender Bani Yaseen escaped Luongo’s marking and put a thumping header into the top corner, prompting jubilation in the strongly pro-Jordan crowd of just under 5,000.
Suddenly Australia were rocking and three minutes later, they were grateful for Ryan’s finger-tip save as he pushed Baha Abdelrahman’s free kick onto the bar.
In the second half, Arnold brought on Rhyan Grant and then Chris Ikonomidis to try to find a way through Jordan’s defence.
Celtic forward Tom Rogic’s stinging shot was kept out by Amer Shafi, before Ikonomidis’s attempt at a follow-up was smothered by the defence.
Rogic passed up an opportunity for the equaliser on 72 minutes, when he was free in the box but scooped his shot well over from Aziz Behich’s cross.
Six minutes later, the lively Awer Mabil smashed one off the upright with Shafi beaten, before Ikonomidis’s header was scrambled off the line.
Jamie Maclaren had a goal chalked off for offside and with the last action of the game, Shafi denied both Ikonomidis and Jackson Irvine.
Meanwhile, India were successful in an Asian Cup match for the first time since 1964 as two goals from Sunil Chhetri, the first a penalty, and efforts from Anirudh Thapa and Jeje Lalpekhlua gave them a 4-1 success over Thailand.