An underdog has certain characteristics to fulfill. That’s what it says in the unofficial textbook of football history. The underdog, often called the outsider, David or dwarf, is naturally allowed to win the sympathy of the audience and is supposed to turn the established order on its head. In every tournament there has to be one, and most of the time these underdogs are very similar. People like to rave about their team spirit, about their strong defense, about their courage, about the luck of the brave at the right moment. And of course there has to be the star who is often referred to as “Messi of…”.
Jordan is no exception. The outsider status: completely undeniable, as number 87 in the world and number 12 in Asia, and after a series of miserable results before the start of the Asian Cup. The style of play: designed to suit the strengths of fast strikers, with good defensive organization and intensive pressing. The hero, unironically called the Jordanian Messi, is called Musa Al-Taamari. The Jordanians can also tell you a lot about their luck. In the round of 16, Jordan was already out with one leg out, oh well, actually with everything except a toe. Then they scored two more goals in stoppage time, later defeated Jürgen Klinsmann’s lethargic South Korea – and voilà, they were in the final, of course against the Goliath, who was also competing on home soil: defending champions Qatar.
In the end, the favorites Qatar won 2-1, thanks to a penalty hat-trick from Akram Afif. Three video checks, three Afif against Abuleila, three goals. For a long time, the final of the Asian Cup looked more like David against David than like David against Goliath. Both teams sought their luck in the long balls, which looked more like tennis than football: diagonal ball from left back to right front, deflected, and promptly served back to the other side of the net, oh no, field.
It was noticeable from the rather weak finale that most of the high-class technicians and strategists were eliminated earlier than expected. The so-called “golden generation” of Iran with Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun were once again unable to crown themselves, Klinsmann’s South Korea played a tournament to forget – the German himself seems to be the only one who sees it differently – top favorite Japan was eliminated after a penalty in stoppage time against Iran, Australia had to admit defeat to the class of South Korea’s Heung-min Son late on. So the favorites knocked each other out and made way for two outsiders in their own way.
Qatar triumphs at the place where Messi lifted the World Cup trophy
After all, Qatar is more of a pseudo giant than Goliath. In 2019, the “Weinroten” sensationally won the Asian Cup title; it was supposed to be a foretaste of the great achievements that Qatar wanted to achieve at the home World Cup in 2022. For twelve years everything was geared towards success at this World Cup. But time and money are of little help in lifting a desert state with only 300,000 citizens to the top of the world. The Qatari plans failed resoundingly: out of the group phase. But now Qatar had managed to play a final at the Lusail Stadium. The Asian Cup final took place at the same place where Messi lifted the World Cup trophy in 2022.
Atypical for a game between outsiders, in the end the focus was on the individual quality of the different players instead of iron discipline. For Qatar it was Akram Afif, who twirled and crossed, who scored his penalty hat-trick and was also responsible for two of these penalties himself. After years of traveling in Europe, he now plays in the domestic league like the vast majority of Qataris – as do four of his Jordanian opponents .
One of them: Yazan Al-Naimat, who equalized 1-1 with a powerful shot in the second half. The equalizer was not undeserved, even if Jordan severely lacked the necessary tools to improve the passing game. Tools that the players in Europe should get if coach Hussein Ammouta has his way, who has explained at length his dream of the Jordanians becoming legionnaires in the best leagues. Despite all their effort, they sometimes wandered around lost on the pitch, but they didn’t give up.
In the end there is the realization: Jordan’s concept of knocking the ball forward and finding the best player was too thin in the final. But Qatar also played like a typical underdog with counter-attacking football and penalties – only better. Qatar’s plan to emerge from nothing into a competitive team may have failed at the World Cup. By defending its title at the Asian Cup, Qatar should be free of its outsider status for the time being.