The minnows in Asian football appeared to have stepped up their game with the lowly-ranked teams - Jordan and Qatar - set to play the final of the 2023 edition of the tournament.
Tottenham skipper Son Heung-Min happened to be a casualty of the sweeping revolution in Asian football as South Korea crashed out of the tournament in the semifinals following a shock 2-0 defeat to Jordan - a team ranked 87th, 64 places below them on FIFA rankings
With just 30% possession of the ball, Jordan outshined South Korea in the attack, firing 17 shots with 7 on target against South Korea's 8 with none on target.
The first half ended barren with South Korea tipped to outrun their lowly-rated opponents but the reverse was the case.
A quick second-half double by Al-Naimat in the 53rd minute and Al-Taaman in the 66th minute condemned the tournament favorites to an unlikely defeat, leaving Son Heung-Min with a heartbreak as he closes in on ending his career with no trophy both for club and country.
Speaking after the loss, the Tottenham Hotspur star said he was devastated by the outcome of the match but lauded the spirited performance of Jordan who have had an amazing journey in the tournament.
“I’m devastated about this result.
“Jordan are having an amazing journey this tournament, it’s incredible and they deserve it.
"They’re fighting until the end and it’s very disappointing for us.”
Heung-Min Son is expected to return to Tottenham Hotspur this weekend following the heartbreaking loss to Jordan. As per reports, he could be lined up against Brighton by Ange Postecoglou if he returns on time.
The 31-year-old is one of the oldest players at Tottenham Hotspur and was made the team captain after Harry Kane's exit to Bayern Munich. He will be expected to brush aside his 2023 Asia Cup nightmare and contribute immensely as Tottenham Hotspur push for a top-four finish under Ange Postecoglou.
Tottenham skipper Son Heung-Min happened to be a casualty of the sweeping revolution in Asian football as South Korea crashed out of the tournament in the semifinals following a shock 2-0 defeat to Jordan - a team ranked 87th, 64 places below them on FIFA rankings
With just 30% possession of the ball, Jordan outshined South Korea in the attack, firing 17 shots with 7 on target against South Korea's 8 with none on target.
The first half ended barren with South Korea tipped to outrun their lowly-rated opponents but the reverse was the case.
A quick second-half double by Al-Naimat in the 53rd minute and Al-Taaman in the 66th minute condemned the tournament favorites to an unlikely defeat, leaving Son Heung-Min with a heartbreak as he closes in on ending his career with no trophy both for club and country.
Speaking after the loss, the Tottenham Hotspur star said he was devastated by the outcome of the match but lauded the spirited performance of Jordan who have had an amazing journey in the tournament.
“I’m devastated about this result.
“Jordan are having an amazing journey this tournament, it’s incredible and they deserve it.
"They’re fighting until the end and it’s very disappointing for us.”
Heung-Min Son is expected to return to Tottenham Hotspur this weekend following the heartbreaking loss to Jordan. As per reports, he could be lined up against Brighton by Ange Postecoglou if he returns on time.
The 31-year-old is one of the oldest players at Tottenham Hotspur and was made the team captain after Harry Kane's exit to Bayern Munich. He will be expected to brush aside his 2023 Asia Cup nightmare and contribute immensely as Tottenham Hotspur push for a top-four finish under Ange Postecoglou.