TASHKENT: Jordan are 180 minutes away from a first appearance in the World Cup finals after winning a dramatic penalty shootout in their Asian play-off in Uzbekistan.

Both legs – the first in Amman – ended in a 1-1 draws and Jordan then squeezed though 9-8 on penalties. Next they face the fifth-placed team from South America in November for a place in Brazil next year

Asian confederation president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa sent a message of congratulations to Prince Ali, his fellow member of the FIFA executive committee and who is also president of the Jordan FA.

He said: “I would like to congratulate Jordan for winning this tough playoff. Both the teams displayed immense grit and determination over two legs. The match could have gone either way as both the teams were equal in all the aspects of the game and it was evident from the fact that both the legs ended in 1-1 draws and the penalties also went down to the wire.

“My heart also goes out to Uzbekistan who played brilliantly throughout this campaign but once again lost in the playoff. I am confident that they will overcome the agony of missing out from the FIFA World Cup and bounce back in the future.

“I would like to congratulate the Jordanian team and all the stakeholders of football in Jordan and hope that they will win the crucial intercontinental playoff and be the fifth Asian representatives in Brazil.”

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