It has been a traumatic few days for Saudi Arabia, whose quest for a first Asian Cup since 1996 got off to a disastrous start when they were beaten 2-1 by outsiders Syria in their opening game on Sunday.[break]
Portuguese Jose Peseiro, who had already been under severe pressure for failing to get Saudi Arabia to the World Cup, was promptly sacked as coach and replaced by Nasser Al Johar.
Al Johar inherited a similar situation in 2000 before guiding the Saudis to the final, where they lost to Japan, but there would be no repeat this time.
The regional giants become the first team to be eliminated, while surprise-package Jordan have four points in Group B with one more game to go.
Syria, who have three points, and Japan, who have one, play later Thursday.
Al Johar was philosophical about the defeat.
"We played very well and we created opportunities to score, especially in the second half, but we were not lucky and this is football," he said.
"Maybe we´ll do better in the future."
Jordan´s Iraqi coach Adnan Hamad admitted his team was lucky, and said they would build on their good fortune.
"We played a very difficult match today and I want to thank my team for an outstanding performance," he said.
"We aimed to just keep it level in the first half but we were lucky to score. We still have a lot more work to do though and our expectations are getting bigger."
The Saudis made four changes from the side that embarrassingly lost to Syria, including bringing in midfielder Taiseer Al Jassam, who came off the bench to grab his team´s solitary goal in the Syria debacle.
Jordan, who came within moments of defeating Japan in their opener but had to settle for a 1-1 draw, were missing captain and central defender Hatem Aqel, who was stretchered off after injuring his right knee against the Japanese.
Saudi Arabia should have been ahead within a minute of the post-Peseiro era, but defender Osama Al Harbi completely missed his header right in front of goal when an inswinging corner somehow made it through a packed penalty box.
The Saudis were in control early on at the Al-Rayyan Stadium, cheered on by a sizeable travelling support decked out in green.
Striker Naif Hazazi, one of the four new players drafted in, was at the centre of everything.
On 16 minutes his goal-bound header was clawed away by Jordan keeper Amer Shafi, and moments later the bouffant-haired Hazazi blazed just wide.
Hazazi went within inches of poking the ball in on the half hour, as the Green Falcons, as the Saudi team are known, continued to dominate.
But three minutes before half-time Jordan got the goal against the run of play. Baha Abdelrahman was left unchallenged and given all the time in the world to loft over a cross that inadvertently curled into the net.
It was a moment of horror for keeper Waleed, who totally misjudged the flight of the ball.
Jordan nearly got a second on the stroke of half-time, but the keeper went a small way toward making up for his catastrophic blunder by blocking with his legs from Odai Al Saify after the Saudi defence went awol.
It was more Saudi pressure in the second period, but no matter how much they huffed and puffed, they could not break through Jordan´s stubborn rearguard.
Saudi substitute Nassir Alshamrani was denied by goalkeeper Shafi after a fine run as the clock ticked down, but Jordan held on.
Japan beat Syria in Asian Cup thriller
Ten-man Japan struggled past Syria 2-1 in a high-octane and controversial Asian Cup group match Thursday to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.
Captain Makoto Hasebe opened the scoring for the three-time champions in the 35th minute but Syria pulled one back from a penalty controversially awarded against goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima on 76 minutes.
Kawashima was adjudged to have brought down Sanharib Malki despite the player being flagged offside.
Japanese players and team officials protested loudly but Iranian referee Torky Mohsen gave a penalty and dismissed the goalkeeper in chaotic scenes.
Shusaku Nishikawa came on as a replacement and the first thing he had to do was pick the ball from the back of the net after Firas Al Khatib calmly converted the spot kick.
Down to 10 men, Japan nevertheless stepped up a gear and their World Cup hero Keisuke Honda slotted in the winner from another penalty six minutes later.
"The referee´s decision was wrong," Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni said.
"We confirmed the linesman raised the flag but the referee ruled it was not an offside, saying that the ball was in the process of a Japanese back pass," said the former AC Milan boss. "We will check the video again."
Syrian´s Romanian coach Tita Valeriu hit back: "I agreed that the red card against the Japanese goalkeeper was correct."
"This goalkeeper deserved that red card because our player was alone at the back and he hindred him."
But Zaccheroni, leading Japan´s bid to regain the title they lost in 2007, said he was satisfied with the way Japan played.
"It was totally a one-sided game for Japan," he said. "Our 10 men worked as if they were 11. They fought gallantly."
Japan badly needed the three points to live up to their World Cup credentials after salvaging a 1-1 draw with Jordan in their opener.
Jordan beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the earlier Group B game to put the Gulf giants out of contention, with Japan and Jordan now on four points, Syria on three and the Saudis down and out on zero.
The Blue Samurai struggled to penetrate a tight Syria defence at the outset.
They almost opened their account in the 11th minute when leading J-League striker Ryoichi Maeda headed a right cross from Atsuto Uchida in front of goal but the ball swerved onto the left side of the net.
Japan started to find more rhythm but squandered a chance on 34 minutes when Yasuyuki Konno´s header was well stopped by Syrian goalkeeper Mosab Balhous.
But a minute later Hasebe opened their account with a beautifully placed right-footer from just inside the box on a cross from Daisuke Matsui after some good work by Honda.
Honda dribbled deep into the right side of the area and hooked a cross to Matsui who turned around to feed the ball to Hasebe.
Maeda attempted two close-range shots within five minutes just before half-time, shooting off the left post and heading over an Endo corner, as Japan turned up the heat.
After the break, Syria started to fight back, with Mohamad Al Zino having a decent chance on 55 minutes.
In 62nd minute, Al Dyab connected with a Al Khatib corner but his header bounced into Kawashima´s arms.
Soon after the Lierse SK custodian was sent off for the controversial penalty, but Japan showed character to win the match in the 82nd minute when Ali Dyab pulled down substitute striker Shinji Okazaki.
Honda stepped up to bury the ball in the back of the net.
A desperate Syria threw everyone forward in a bid to find the equaliser but despite six minutes of extra time they left the pitch empty-handed.
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