Jordan hosts Oman in crucial World Cup qualifier

Fans were disappointed with Jordan’s lackluster performance as it lost to guests South Korea 2-0 at a packed home game on the weekend even though the guestshad star striker Tottenham’s Heunhg-min Son on the injury list.

Currently ranked 68th, Jordan dropped to third in the group as 78th ranked Oman scored their first win 4-0 over Kuwait and 55th ranked Iraq beat 98th ranked Palestine 1-0.

As it started Round 3 qualifiers, Jordan tied Kuwait 1-1 and beat Palestine 3-1 while Palestine held Korea 0-0, Iraq beat Oman 1-0 and South Korea beat Oman 3-1.

Jordan played 23rd ranked Korea twice this year, tying 2-2 before beating them 2-0 in the Asian Cup semifinals. The Kingdom has a 4-2-2 advantage over Oman in official matches, but as it prepares to host its guests the national side is certainly not in its best form: The absence of the top two strikers, Mousa Ta’mari and Yazan Nue’imat, sidelined with injuries for the past month clearly has a big toll on the team. Ta’mari is likely to be out until next round, while Nu’eimat, who played in the second half against Korea seems out of form. Players like Nizar Rashdan and Noor Rawabdeh will be cautious with a booking each. Oman, on the other hand, is on a high note after rebounding from defeats to Iraq and Korea to score a big win over Kuwait.

Jordan’s Moroccan Coach Jamal Sellamy said that he“carried full responsibility for the team’s results. I chose the lineup and I’m responsible”. He added “Our leading experienced strikers were absent, and our younger, future stars still lack the needed competitive high level experience, therefore, we are not in an ideal situation. We can do better and can win away matches.”

Since playing in the Asian Cup final, fans hope Jordan can make it to the World Cup for the first time with FIFA expanding the format to include 16 more teams in the upcoming 2026 World Cup edition.   Jordan advanced to Round 3 for the second time in their history and has also booked their spot for the next edition of the 2027 Asian Cup. Now, 18 teams are playing in three groups in home and away format from September 5, 2024 to June 10, 2025 with the top two from each group advancing directly to the World Cup while the rest will play Round 4 in two groups with group leaders advancing and a possible ninth team advancing through intercontinental play-offs

Since 1986, Jordan is playing the World Cup qualifiers for the 7th time. The team was on the verge of qualifying to the 2014 World Cup when they advanced to play then FIFA 6th ranked Uruguay in an intercontinental qualifying tie before exiting. Jordan had never reached that far in qualifying with Round 3 being the furthest they reached in other editions. 

Earlier this year, in their fifth time at the Asian Cup, Jordan was within reach of being  crowned the continent’s champs for the first time in history since first participating in 1972. On their way to the final, they saw off former Asian champs Korea and Iraq, among others, before losing to hosts Qatar in the final. Jordan’s previous best past performance was reaching the Asian Cup quarterfinals in 2004 and 2011.  In 2015, they exited the group stages and in 2019 they made it to the Round of 16.