Jordan sends Hong Kong packing

By S.R. Suryanarayan

MARGAO, JAN. 16. Two second half strikes by Jordan settled the issue as it sent Hong Kong packing. Hong Kong failed to bounce back as it did briefly against Romania the other day. The 2-0 verdict on Tuesday in the last Group III league match confirmed Jordan's entry as Group leader into the quarterfinals of the Sahara Cup football tournament.

While Hong Kong pack up for home, Jordan now leaves Goa (``unfortunately'', according to team coach Ricardo Carugati for such is the way the scenic beachside has charmed them!) for Kolkata to meet the Group IV runner-up in the quarterfinals. On the other hand, Romania stays back as the second team in Group III to play the Group I winner from Kochi here in another quarterfinal match slated for January 20.

The first floodlit (partially) match at the Nehru stadium, Fatorda in this Group failed to evoke much public response. Not even when Hong Kong had done enough against Romania to make observers believe that Jordan will have a handful to confront today. Perhaps that explained Jordan's strange strategy, that attack as the best means of defence. ``We decided to attack but the players were too eager to score that they soon found themselves without space by their own overenthusiasm'', said Coach Carugati on the disjointed display till the first session.

The midfield tackles were mediocre and the game generated too much physical play, all the more disgusting. Jordan's defence may be in safe hands under Semrin, Mahadeen and Shubait but Semrin certainly enjoyed a charmed life, thanks to an amiable Indian Referee Rizwan ul Haque, who once allowed the tall defender to get away after virtually pulling down Wong Chi Keung by the neck, even as the latter looked set for a breakaway run.

Just when it seemed an eminently forgettable contest was petering out to a draw, which was not to worry Jordan since it needed only a draw, came the transformation. All the rigorous warming up that substitute Badran Al-Shaqran was to do for better part of the first session, culminated in this stocky player finding the room and position to send a relayed header off Mahadeen, bang into the cage. That 49th minute success following a flag kick, taken indirectly by Haitham pepped up the Jordan attack, which instead of progressing from the middle increasingly took elaboration from the wings, particularly the far side.

Haitham was the man in focus now and each time he progressed the Jordan forwards virtually bulldozed their way up. Haitham once sent a goalmouth cross which beat goalkeeper Chan Ka Ki but went out. But minutes later (85th), Haitham capped a solo with an unstoppable left-footer.

The Jordanians ensured victory, something that was to bring personal words of praise for each player from the Jordan FA President, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, from back home. In the end it seemed Jordan need not have stretched as much for as Hong Kong Coach Arie Abrianus was to say ``our priorities were different''. And surely it was for by making a total reshuffle of the side, he had made the match a testing ground.

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