Artistic vision: The Jordanian national team disrupted “Samson’s” power with “tactical” deception

Moataz Al-Shami (Dubai)
The Jordanian team achieved a huge surprise, which warmed the hearts of its followers and fans, when it won the ticket to qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup final, which Qatar is hosting for the first time in history, by winning with two clean goals against the South Korean team, in the semi-final of the tournament yesterday evening, after a manly, sacrificial and spirited performance. High combat, demonstrated by the Jordanian national team players, especially Yazan Al-Naimat and Musa Al-Taamari, so that the Jordanian national team remains the biggest surprise on the African and Asian continents.
Al-Nashama’s achievement came despite the low possession rate during the match, which reached 30.4% against South Korea, which is the second lowest percentage for a team that has won an Asian Cup match by more than one goal since the 2007 edition, after the Qatari team, which had 28.8% possession during the match in which it achieved victory. Over Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the last edition in 2019.
This is considered one of the strengths of teams that are good at exploiting the few opportunities that appear before a competitor who almost completely controls the course of the game, as “Al-Nashama” was able to implement a tactical deception plan, based on leaving the ball for “Samson” to move it in the middle, but With the imposition of close defensive control over the keys to play, especially the top scorer Son, with all spaces closed between the midfield lines and the defensive third of the team’s goal in general, with the speed of attacking the ball carrier in the middle of the field, moving forward and transferring balls quickly to disrupt the defense and create gaps to penetrate into the area. With shooting from inside or outside, both goals were achieved out of only 4 attack attempts launched by the Jordanian team.
Moroccan coach Hussein Amouta continued to spread his tactical magic under the distinguished technical leadership of Al-Nashama, and he was able to adapt the 3-4-3 system in both its defensive and offensive aspects, despite leaving the ball to the South Korean, which is an important technical addition to the playing tactic that transformed the attacking triangle of Al-Taamari, Yazan and Mahmoud Al-Mardi, He has a tight defense that faces the Korean team's runs, and then he is skilled at quickly transforming into an effective offensive weapon that was able to score two goals.
For his part, the German Winfried Schaefer, the former coach of Al Ain, Shabab Al Ahly and the Thai national team, praised the technical and distinguished level that Jordan presented against South Korea and its arrival in the final of the tournament, and said: “The match was very sublime and wonderful. Samson the Korean could not keep up with the Jordanian team, which made a double effort to provide His best level, a tribute to coach Amouta, who impressed everyone with his more than wonderful technical leadership. He responded to his critics in the first round, but only inside the field, at a time when Jurgen Klinsmann was unable to do anything or change the match in his favor, so the entire Korean team stood in its favour. “The position of helplessness in the face of the tactical intelligence of the Jordanian national team.”
For his part, Tunisian technical analyst Noureddine Obaidi, the former Olympic team coach, praised the tactical level of the match, especially the Moroccan Amouta, as the match was a continuation of his previous successes in his coaching career, whether with Morocco’s FUS Rabat by winning the 2010 Throne Cup and the 2010 African Confederation Cup, and also with Al Sadd Club. The Qatari club won the Qatar Stars League in 2013, the Emir of Qatar Cup in 2014 and 2015, and the Qatar Super Cup in 2014. It also won the Moroccan League in 2016 and the African Champions League in 2017 with Wydad of Morocco. It also won the Moroccan League with the Royal Army in 2022, in addition to the African Nations Championship for local players with the Moroccan national team in 2020. He continued: “All of these various successes indicate the technical value of this coach and the great experience he acquired, as he knew how to prepare the Jordanian team for this tournament. He was able to choose the roster well, away from calculations and courtesies, and then choose the appropriate tactic that is in line with the group he chose, by playing.” With a modern plan, which is 3-4-3, in addition to a playing style of the highest level, represented by pressure from the middle of the field and then quickly switching to the attack, to employ the speed of Yazan and Al-Taamari in a wonderful way. He was also able to employ the group well and work on the mental aspect, as we saw disciplined players. Tactically, enthusiastic and in harmony with each other, they play with the heart of one man and with more than a high spirit.”
He added: “The Jordanian team was distinguished by its good reading of the opponents, and this was clearly evident in the semi-final match. Despite the difference in individual capabilities between the two teams, the Jordanian team was the best throughout the 90 minutes on the tactical, physical and mental levels.”