Latest news with #AliOlwin
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Jordanians bask in glory of 2026 World Cup qualification
Amman: Huge celebrations erupted in Jordan after the national team qualified for the 2026 World Cup, earning a spot in the tournament for the first time following a decisive 3-0 victory against Oman. Fans drove their cars through Jordan's capital Amman late Thursday, honking their horns and chanting victory while others waved the national flag in triumph. 'We are all with you!' and 'It's getting closer, heroes' read messages written into the night sky in a spectacular drone light show. Jordan sealed their place on the penultimate day of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Ali Olwin netted a hat-trick as the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up etched their name in the history books. They secured their spot in the World Cup when South Korea defeated Iraq, also on Thursday, 2-0. The royal court published pictures of King Abdullah II wearing a national team jersey as he watched the game from the embassy in London, where he was on a visit. 'This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud,' he wrote on X. 'Special thanks go to our loyal fans who have been our support and encouragement.' Sohad Idrissi, a 48-year-old housewife who watched the game with her siblings, beamed with pride as she told AFP that her side had played 'a beautiful game and deserved to qualify for the World Cup.' Jordanian police stand guard as people celebrate after Jordan qualified for the World Cup for the first time, winning 3-0 over Oman, in Amman. Reuters 'Today the joy is two-fold: there is the joy of Eid al-Adha, and the joy of Nashama qualifying,' she said, using a nickname for the Jordanian team. Fadi Qalanzi, a 21-year-old university student, called the win 'a dream that is finally coming true'. 'Our team put on a beautiful performance, and they truly deserved to qualify,' he added. Osama al-Shreeda, a 60-year-old retired civil servant, also called it a dream come true. 'I've been following Jordanian football since 1978, and a relative of mine used to play with the national team,' he said. Jordan's fans cheer as they watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier football match on big screens at the Prince Hamza hall in the Sports City in Amman. AFP 'It's a great opportunity for our team and its players to be recognised globally,' he added, calling it an achievement not just for Jordan but for the wider Arab region. 'It was about time, this is a joy we'd been waiting for for a long time,' said 55-year-old schoolteacher Nashat Badr. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's coach said 'this victory belongs to all of us' after steering the Central Asian nation to the World Cup for the first time in their history. A 0-0 draw at the UAE on Thursday was enough to seal the landmark with a game to go in Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams has given traditional outsiders such as Uzbekistan the chance to break into the top ranks of world football. 'We have come a long way and achieved an important result,' their coach Timur Kapadze said, according to the Asian Football Confederation. 'We congratulate our entire people and our president. This victory belongs to all of us. 'Yesterday and today the phone calls have not stopped.' Uzbekistan started competing as an independent nation in the 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Backed by state funding, Uzbekistan are one of Asia's fastest-developing footballing nations. They are ranked 57th in the world. 'Everyone said they would support us and pray for us, the wishes for victory were a great inspiration for us,' said Kapadze, who replaced Srecko Katanec as head coach in January. Agencies
Al Jazeera
4 days ago
- Sport
- Al Jazeera
Jordan celebrate reaching first World Cup after win against Oman
Jordan is celebrating the qualification of its football team for a FIFA World Cup for the first time following a decisive 3-0 victory against Oman. Huge celebrations erupted as fans drove their cars through Jordan's capital Amman late on Thursday and into Friday, honking their horns and chanting victory while others waved the national flag in triumph. 'We are all with you!' and 'It's getting closer, heroes' read messages written into the night sky in a spectacular drone light show. Jordan sealed their place on the penultimate day of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Ali Olwin netted a hat-trick as the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up to Qatar etched their name in the history books. They secured their spot in the World Cup when South Korea defeated Iraq, also on Thursday, 2-0. The royal court published pictures of King Abdullah II wearing a national team jersey as he watched the game from the embassy in London, where he was on a visit. I wholeheartedly congratulate the sons and daughters of our dear people on our national football team's qualification for the World Cup finals,' he wrote on social media platform X. 'This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud. 'Special thanks go to our loyal fans who have been our support and encouragement.' His Majesty King Abdullah watches the national football team's World Cup qualifier match against Oman, at the Jordanian embassy in London, during a working visit to Europe( Photos courtesy of Royal Court ) — The Jordan Times (@jordantimes) June 5, 2025Sohad Idrissi, a 48-year-old housewife who watched the game with her siblings, beamed with pride as she told AFP that her side had played 'a beautiful game and deserved to qualify for the World Cup'. 'Today the joy is two-fold: there is the joy of Eid al-Adha, and the joy of Nashama qualifying,' she said, using a nickname for the Jordanian team. Fadi Qalanzi, a 21-year-old university student, called the win 'a dream that is finally coming true'. 'Our team put on a beautiful performance, and they truly deserved to qualify,' he added. Osama al-Shreeda, a 60-year-old retired civil servant, also called it a dream come true. 'I've been following Jordanian football since 1978, and a relative of mine used to play with the national team,' he said. 'It's a great opportunity for our team and its players to be recognised globally,' he added, calling it an achievement not just for Jordan but for the wider Arab region. 'It was about time, this is a joy we'd been waiting for, for a long time,' said 55-year-old teacher Nashat Badr. For Uzbekistan, a 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates was enough to take the second automatic qualification spot in Group A behind Iran. With Asia now having eight guaranteed qualifiers – after just four for the 2022 edition in Qatar – Uzbekistan was a likely contender to step up. While most of its team plays in the domestic league, it includes a few Europe-based stars like Roma forward Eldor Shomurodov and Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov. Jordan's highest-profile player is winger Mousa Tamari at French club Rennes. Palestine's 2-0 win in Kuwait kept alive their hopes of reaching their first World Cup finals. The victory, thanks to goals from Tamer Seyam and Wessam Abou Ali, means Palestine in fifth spot in Group B are one point outside the playoff qualification positions with one game to play. A win in their final match in Amman, Jordan, against Oman, who hold fourth spot and are one point ahead of Palestine, on Tuesday will see them finish above their opponents. Third and fourth positions in the three groups, in the third round of AFC qualifiers for the World Cup, progress to a fourth qualifying stage of playoffs. The top two teams from each of the three six-team groups qualify automatically for next summer's tournament, while the teams in fifth and sixth position are eliminated. Indonesia, meantime, remain on course for a playoff finish, and only a second appearance at a World Cup finals, following their 1-0 win against China to hold fourth spot in Group C.
Arab News
4 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Jordanians bask in glory of World Cup qualification
AMMAN: Huge celebrations erupted in Jordan after the national team qualified for the 2026 World Cup, earning a spot in the tournament for the first time following a decisive 3-0 victory against Oman. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Fans drove their cars through Jordan's capital Amman late Thursday, honking their horns and chanting victory while others waved the national flag in triumph. 'We are all with you!' and 'It's getting closer, heroes' read messages written into the night sky in a spectacular drone light show. Jordan sealed their place on the penultimate day of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Ali Olwin netted a hat-trick as the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up etched their name in the history books. They secured their spot in the World Cup when South Korea defeated Iraq, also on Thursday, 2-0. The royal court published pictures of King Abdullah II wearing a national team jersey as he watched the game from the embassy in London, where he was on a visit. 'This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud,' he wrote on X. 'Special thanks go to our loyal fans who have been our support and encouragement.' Sohad Idrissi, a 48-year-old housewife who watched the game with her siblings, beamed with pride as she said that her side had played 'a beautiful game and deserved to qualify for the World Cup.' 'Today the joy is two-fold: there is the joy of Eid Al-Adha, and the joy of Nashama qualifying,' she said, using a nickname for the Jordanian team. Fadi Qalanzi, a 21-year-old university student, called the win 'a dream that is finally coming true.' 'Our team put on a beautiful performance, and they truly deserved to qualify,' he added. Osama Al-Shreeda, a 60-year-old retired civil servant, also called it a dream come true. 'I've been following Jordanian football since 1978, and a relative of mine used to play with the national team,' he said. 'It's a great opportunity for our team and its players to be recognized globally,' he added, calling it an achievement not just for Jordan but for the wider Arab region. 'It was about time, this is a joy we'd been waiting for a long time,' said 55-year-old schoolteacher Nashat Badr.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Jordanians bask in glory of World Cup qualification
Huge celebrations erupted in Jordan after the national team qualified for the 2026 World Cup, earning a spot in the tournament for the first time following a decisive 3-0 victory against Oman. Fans drove their cars through Jordan's capital Amman late Thursday, honking their horns and chanting victory while others waved the national flag in triumph. "We are all with you!" and "It's getting closer, heroes" read messages written into the night sky in a spectacular drone light show. Jordan sealed their place on the penultimate day of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Ali Olwin netted a hat-trick as the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up etched their name in the history books. They secured their spot in the World Cup when South Korea defeated Iraq, also on Thursday, 2-0. The royal court published pictures of King Abdullah II wearing a national team jersey as he watched the game from the embassy in London, where he was on a visit. "This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud," he wrote on X. "Special thanks go to our loyal fans who have been our support and encouragement." Sohad Idrissi, a 48-year-old housewife who watched the game with her siblings, beamed with pride as she told AFP that her side had played "a beautiful game and deserved to qualify for the World Cup". "Today the joy is two-fold: there is the joy of Eid al-Adha, and the joy of Nashama qualifying," she said, using a nickname for the Jordanian team. Fadi Qalanzi, a 21-year-old university student, called the win "a dream that is finally coming true". "Our team put on a beautiful performance, and they truly deserved to qualify," he added. Osama al-Shreeda, a 60-year-old retired civil servant, also called it a dream come true. "I've been following Jordanian football since 1978, and a relative of mine used to play with the national team," he said. "It's a great opportunity for our team and its players to be recognised globally," he added, calling it an achievement not just for Jordan but for the wider Arab region. "It was about time, this is a joy we'd been waiting for for a long time," said 55-year-old schoolteacher Nashat Badr. mh-kt/ser/gj
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Uzbekistan and Jordan qualify for World Cup for first time, South Korea through
Uzbekistan and Jordan made history on Thursday by qualifying for their first World Cup, while the pair will be joined in next year's tournament by perennial participants South Korea. Uzbekistan, one of the fastest-rising national teams in Asia, drew 0-0 with the UAE in Abu Dhabi to take the second automatic spot in Group A, although top place is still in play after already qualified Iran lost 1-0 to Qatar in Doha. Heading into the third round's final set of fixtures on Tuesday, Iran sit at the summit, two points ahead of Uzbekistan. The top two teams in each of the three Asian groups go straight to the World Cup, while those finishing third and fourth –- the UAE and Qatar hold those slots in Group A –- enter a fourth round of qualifiers. In Group B, South Korea confirmed their place in an 11th straight World Cup by defeating Iraq 2-0 in Basra. The victory, sealed by second-half goals from Kim Jin-gyu and Oh Hyeon-gyu, means South Korea reclaim top spot from Jordan, whose 3-0 victory against Oman earlier on Thursday ultimately proved enough to secure their participation at the expanded 48-team showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Jordan's King Abdullah II congratulated the team on social media. "This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud," he wrote on X. "Special thanks go to our loyal fans who have been our support and encouragement." Ali Olwin netted a hat-trick as the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up etched their name in the record books. Iraq were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half when Ali Al Hamadi's foul on Cho Yu-min was upgraded to a red card following a VAR review. Iraq sit third in Group B, with Oman and Palestine still able to progress to the fourth round of qualifying. Palestine, who defeated Kuwait 2-0 in Ardhiya, host Oman on Tuesday, while Iraq face Jordan in Amman. - Australia on brink - Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Australia will go head-to-head on Tuesday for the second automatic spot in Group C. Australia remain in pole position following their last-gasp win against group leaders Japan in Perth. Defender Aziz Behich was the home hero in front of more than 57,000 fans, rifling into the corner in the 90th minute to give Tony Popovic's side a crucial 1-0 victory. "We know there's room to grow and room to improve, but we've done something special tonight," said Popovic, who saw his team outplayed for long periods by an experimental Japan side. Saudi Arabia ensured the race for second place will go down to the wire courtesy of a 2-0 win against Bahrain in Riffa. Goals in either half from Musab Al Juwayr and Abdulrahman Al Obud saw Herve Renard's men stay three points behind second-placed Australia. However, the Saudis will have to win in Jeddah by five goals to leapfrog the Socceroos. Popovic, who replaced Graham Arnold in the dugout in September, added: "We've all played a part in getting us to this point. We want to go to Saudi Arabia and really finish the job off." Also in Group C, Patrick Kluivert's Indonesia kept alive their hopes of reaching a first World Cup since the country's independence in 1945 with a 1-0 win over China. That leaves Indonesia fourth in the group, one point behind Saudi. Ole Romeny scored the only goal, his controversial penalty just before half time following a VAR check leaving China rooted to the bottom of the group and thus ending their hopes of making a second World Cup. jm/ea/iwd
