Soccer-Jordan, Iraq claim opening wins at Asian Cup as Malaysia and Indonesia fall

Soccer Football – AFC Asian Cup – Group E – Malaysia v Jordan – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar – January 15, 2024 Jordan’s Raja’ei Ayed in action with Malaysia’s Safawi Rasid REUTERS/Molly Darlington

By Rohith Nair

DOHA (Reuters) – Jordan crushed Malaysia 4-0 in the Asian Cup while Iraq cruised to a 3-1 win over Indonesia as the west Asian sides flexed their muscles in their respective group openers on Monday.

Soccer Football – AFC Asian Cup – Group E – Malaysia v Jordan – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar – January 15, 2024 Jordan’s Mousa Tamari scores their third goal REUTERS/Molly Darlington

On a day where each match featured four goals, Jordan’s thumping victory moved them to the top of Group E — above South Korea who beat Bahrain 3-1 earlier on Monday.

Soccer Football – AFC Asian Cup – Group E – Malaysia v Jordan – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar – January 15, 2024 Malaysia’s Dion Cools in action with Jordan’s Yazan Al Naimat REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

Jordan’s Mahmoud Al-Mardi put his hand up for an early contender for goal of the tournament when the winger gave his side the lead with a shot from outside the box that floated over the keeper and into the top corner at the far post.

Musa Al-Taamari doubled their lead from the spot after a penalty was awarded for a foul on Yazan Al-Naimat following a VAR review while Al-Mardi made it 3-0 when he scored his second from a tap-in after being set up by Yazan Al-Naimat.

Al-Taamari grabbed his second when he lobbed the keeper in the 85th minute to complete the rout.

Like Malaysia, Indonesia were also making their return to the Asian Cup for the first time since 2007 and though the south-east Asian side were able to hold their own against Iraq for 45 minutes, they ran out of gas in the second half.

Soccer Football – AFC Asian Cup – Group E – Malaysia v Jordan – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar – January 15, 2024 Jordan’s Noor Al Rawabdeh in action with Malaysia’s Afiq Fazail and Arif Aiman REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

Iraq’s Mohanad Ali scored first when he was through on goal with just the keeper to beat but Marselino Ferdinan equalised after some fine work form Yakob Sayuri, who skipped a challenge and crossed the ball into the six-yard box for an easy goal.

However, Iraq burst Indonesia’s bubble late in added time just before the interval when Osama Rashid scored from close range after the keeper spilled a save.

Substitute Aymen Hussein then won a header in the 75th minute and volleyed home from the edge of the six-yard box to make it 3-1.

Soccer Football – AFC Asian Cup – Group E – Malaysia v Jordan – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar – January 15, 2024 Jordan and Malaysia players shake hands after the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

Iraq are second in Group D behind four-times champions Japan, who beat Vietnam 4-2 on Sunday.

(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Doha; editing by Pritha Sarkar)