Jordan came back from a goal down to beat Syria 2-1 Monday to qualify for the Asian Cup quarterfinals and deny Syria its first trip to the knockout stage.
Striker Odai al-Saify scored the winning goal in the 59th minute, muscling past Syria defender Ali Dyab and chipping the ball over the shoulder of goalkeeper Mosab Balhous, who came out too far and appeared to misjudge the flight of the ball.
Syria, needing a win to progress, took the lead in the 15th minute when Mohamad al-Zino turned home the rebound after Jordan goalkeeper Amer Shafi saved a shot from Sanhabrib Malki. Jordan equalized in the 30th when Dyab headed a cross into his own net.
''We did not expect to beat Syria, but we have a solid team that was able to regain composure after being a goal down,'' Jordan coach Adnan Hamad said. ''This proved that we have a solid and strong team that is able to survive any circumstance.''
Jordan finished second in Group B behind Japan and will play Group A winner Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals. It will be Jordan's second appearance in the quarterfinals after losing to Japan on penalties at the same stage in 2004.
''It is going to be a very difficult match against Uzbekistan,'' Hamad said. ''Although they are a very strong and difficult team, we have enough presence to overcome them because our team started to believe in itself. Hopefully we will go further than the quarterfinals.''
Jordan, only needing a draw to advance, chose to sit back early as the Syrians pressed repeatedly. Syria had its first chance in the 11th minute when midfielder Jehad al-Hussien crossed to Sanharib Malki, but his header went wide.
Four minutes later, al-Zino scored from a rebound after Shafi saved a shot from Malki, giving the Syrians the lead.
Al-Zino could have scored another five minutes later when he was left unmarked in front of the net but he couldn't convert a cross. The ball bounced off his shoulder and went wide of the goal.
The Jordanians then stepped up their game, launching several attacks on the Syrian goal. But Jordan still didn't pose much of a threat until the 30th, when a cross into the area was headed by Dyab into his own net.
''We were very close to qualifying and scored first and were controlling the match, but our own-goal shocked us,'' Syria striker Firas al-Katib said. ''Then we tried to open the game to compensate and we suffered another goal.''
Syrian striker Qussai Habib said credit should go to the Jordanians for surviving Syria's early pressure and finding its ''weak points'' as the match progressed.
''What took place in this match was unbelievable,'' Habib said. ''We were excellent in the first half and a part of the second half. The Jordanian team managed to find our weak points and use them to its benefit. They surprised us with two goals and managed to keep them and that is how the match went. All I can say is congratulation to the Jordanian team.''
Jordan had a chance to go into the lead in the 34th when midfielder Hasan Abdel Fattah took a cross into the area but he mis-hit the ball wide.
''We really started well and scored a goal,'' said Syria coach Valeriu Tita, who took over only four weeks ago. ''But then we gifted Jordan two goals. That is it.''
Tita said he came into the tournament knowing defense was Syria's weak point and admitted finding good defenders in the country has proven almost impossible. He then launched an attack on the quality of the team, which he said didn't include the best players in Syria.
''These players did not deserve to be in national team,'' Tita said. ''These players haven't won anything. This time, they went to the Asian Cup and did try. But I think we need a new generation if we want to have good football in Syria.''
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Lineups:
Jordan: Amer Shafi, Mohammad Monir, Suliman al-Salman, Baha' Abdelrahman, Amer Deeb, Bashir Bani Yaseen, Odai Al Saify (Anas Hijah, 90), Abdallah Deeb (Moyad Abukeshek, 62), Shadi Abu Hashhash, Basem Fathi, Hasan Abdel Fattah (Ala al-Shaqran, 88).
Syria: Mosab Balhous, Belal Abduldaim (Qussai Habib, 79), Ali Dyab (Louay Chanko, 63), Feras Ismail, Jehad al-Hussien, Abdulrazak al-Husein, Mohammed al-Zino, Wael Ayan, Abdulkader Deka, Sanharib Malki, Samer Aouad (Firas al-Khatib, 63).
