Yaser Kasim's wizardry earned Iraq a 1-0 win victory Jordan on Monday in the Asian Cup, while defending champions Japan were disappointed despite slamming four past Palestine.
The late match between the Middle East rivals looked to be heading for a gritty draw before Kasim slalomed through three defenders to scored via a deflection deep in the second half.
It was the touch of class that the game sorely needed and it sealed the points for Iraq as they strive to recapture the title they won in fairytale fashion in 2007.
Iraq now sit behind Japan on goal difference after the opening games in Group D and they will have high hopes of reaching the last eight, where they could potentially face bitter rivals Iran.
Kasim-style heroics were hardly required by Japan, who have won four of the last six Asian Cups and were up against a team playing in the continent’s showcase tournament for the first time.
The match pitched European-based stars against struggling players from the blockaded Palestinian Territories, and Japan wasted little time getting off the mark in a 4-0 win.
Just eight minutes were on the clock when Yashuhito Endo rifled Japan’s opener. Shinji Okazaki and Maya Yoshida also scored, either side of a Keisuke Honda penalty.
But it was not the goal avalanche that some expected from Japan, 8-1 winners over Uzbekistan at the 2000 Asian Cup, and coach Javier Aguirre admitted there was still work to do.
“I was happy and satisfied with the defence, but I saw some points to improve in attack,” he told reporters. “I expect those points to be improved through the training sessions.
“What we were missing in the first half was probably speed and mobility, and the missing part I saw in the second half was middle range shots.”
Man of the match Okazaki said: “As a result with four goals that was a great win, we played well. However, we could have been better.
“We are not satisfied with four goals we should have scored more. We should have played better, especially in going forwards, but overall it was a great result.”
Iraq’s Kasim became the second Swindon Town player to score at the Asian Cup after Massimo Luongo also scored a cracker for Australia in the tournament curtain raiser last Friday. The club teammates were both named man of the match.
Monday also featured the tournament’s first red cards after Ahmed Mahajna was sent off for Palestine and Jordan’s Anas Bani Yaseen also got his marching orders.
Earlier record goalscorer Tim Cahill was named as captain of Australia, deputising for the injured Mile Jedinak, for the Tuesday’s clash with Oman in Sydney.
“It’s amazing, I love playing for Australia regardless of which country I’m in but to play at home, in front of my hometown fans and obviously family and friends is very special,” said Cahill.
“But with me, not a lot of emotion comes into it when I cross that white line. I feel that it’s going to be a massive game for us ... there’s a lot on the line.”
Victory could put Australia into the quarter-finals, provided South Korea avoid defeat against Kuwait in Tuesday’s other Group A tie.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
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Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Need to know
Unlike other mobile wallets and payment apps, a unique feature of eWallet is that there is no need to have a bank account, credit or debit card to do digital payments.
Customers only need a valid Emirates ID and a working UAE mobile number to register for eWallet account.
