There was something exuberant about it, move after move, a noticeable pattern that you could recognise but could do little to stop.
It starts with Mousa Al-Taamari conjuring the ball off the defender. Then Yazan Al-Naimat accelerates rapidly, his run going away from the ball, into space. By this point, you’d instinctively feel both will combine and in quick succession, Jordan will score. And, they did.
As Jordan’s duo combined upfront – as they have done incisively throughout the tournament – the spectacle mostly revolved around whether Korea Republic would finally be the team that would figure out a way to limit them to just a goal. In turn, they were capable of pulling something off, like they had done late against Saudi Arabia and Australia.
That did not happen. An inspired Jordan side led by their number 10 and 11 was all over them, with the tally of 17 shots to eight, furthering into seven on target to none, not a misleading figure. Through balls, interceptions, relentless pressing, and runs from the deep – you name it, the duo caused all sorts of havoc to the Korean defense that had been limping in Kim Min-jae’s absence.
Such was the chemistry, one facilitating the other and complimenting the stylistic difference between the two, like the dynamic duo: Batman and Robin. Different, yet complimentary. One plots, the other finishes. The other dribbles to find his teammate inside the box. Who is who between them remains up for debate, especially considering the individual versatility put on show by either one.
Al-Taamari, however, abstains from comparison. “I am the first Mousa Al-Taamari from Lebanon,” he quipped after the game when asked about his thoughts on comparisons with Mohamed Salah.
The flashes came about when the Montpellier attacker set off for a run. About 13 minutes after he provided the killer pass for Al-Naimat’s goal, Al-Taamari started from the middle of the pitch, walking past the Korean defence like training cones before putting it beyond the keeper’s reach.
In a tournament that so far has been heavily influenced by duos – from the Qatar’s Hassan Al Haydos-Akram Afif to the superstar pairing of Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, as well as Iran’s Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun, it is not an overstatement to say Al-Taamari and Al-Naimat have been the most entertaining to watch.
Ten goal contributions between them barely paints the whole picture.
Against a side that Jordan shared a point courtesy of a late equaliser in the group stages, the duo got to work early on. Perhaps the most prominent of first half chances came in the 42nd minute, as Al-Taamari intercepted the ball off Jung Seung-hyun, ultimately finding Al-Naimat again, whose dribble past three defenders almost seemed like he was floating. It took a Jo Hyeon-woo save to deny the dynamic duo.
They kept coming, however, like the had done throughout the tournament. Al-Taamari’s job throughout has been to conjure with tenacity, his runs off the ball being equally as vital to Jordan’s progression. Yazan, on the other hand, has often been the focal point in the box – more of a Robin than a Batman – picking his moments and owning them.
Off the pitch, however, it was the Robin who became the Batman – leading the celebrations after securing their historic place in the final. The moment of madness came when Al-Naimat got himself tangled in the net, attempting to climb at the goalpost.
“We will bring the Asian Cup to Jordan,” was seen chanting in an Instagram story from the dressing room. The celebrations did not stop just there – the Al Ahli forward crashed his teammate’s interviews, ran through the mixed zone, thanking the supporters and proimising to continue doing what he does in the finals.
Both, however, are humble enough to credit it to the whole squad, extending to their fans.
“This victory started with the fans, not us,” Al-Taamari said, also crediting coach Hussein Ammouta.
“He instilled in us a winning culture. This man told us to have fun – yes, in a semi-final.”
Jordan seem to be having fun the most on the pitch so far. The fans’ ecstasy will last – but it will take one last Batman-Robin job to bring the trophy home to Jordan.
Photo: Asian Football Confederation
Listen to The Asian Game Podcast LIVE from Souq Waqif at the AFC Asian Cup 2023
