Never before beyond the Asian Cup quarter-finals, Jordan are now one match from the trophy, their incredible campaign in Doha delivering once more.
Hussein Ammouta’s history-makers etched another chapter in the record books on Tuesday night, sweeping aside two-time champions South Korea at an electric Ahmad bin Ali Stadium to stride into Saturday’s final. In the end it was 2-0. It should have been much more.
South Korea, contesting an eighth Asian Cup semi-final to Jordan’s one, were behind as they have been for the majority of their stay in Qatar. But this time, their so-called “Zombie” football had run out of life. Champions in 1956 and 1960, and runners-up four times since, their title drought will extend well past the current 64 years. Surely Jurgen Klinsmann’s time is up.
Yet this was Jordan’s night. Ranked 65 spots below, they not only out-worked their loftier opponents, but outclassed them – and right when the spotlight shone brightest.
This was no backs-to-the-wall, smash-and-grab effort. Wholly dominant against Asia’s third-highest team in Fifa's standings, Jordan provided a performance of a lifetime to claim a victory for the ages. They puffed out their chests and pushed back their rivals from Europe's top domestic competitions until they could hold them no more.
Yazan Al Naimat and Musa Al Taamari got the goals, but to a man they were superior. Neither Iran nor Qatar will fancy them in the showpiece.
From the off, Jordan set about South Korea as if their lives depended on it. They snapped into challenges, forced errors, pounced on misplaced passes. Within 28 minutes, they had eight attempts at goal. The Koreans had mustered one. By the conclusion, that particular stat read 17 to eight. South Korea, led by superstar Son Heung-min, did not hit the target once.
Nizar Al Rashdan, scorer of that sumptuous, last-gasp winner against Iraq in the last-16, tested Jo Hyeon-woon in the opposite goal as early as the fourth minute. Not long after, Mahmoud Al Mardi did, too.
It took 24 minutes for South Korea to threaten at the other end; Lee Kang-in volleyed way over the Jordan crossbar when well positioned at the back post.
Almost in an instant, though, normal service resumed: Korea twice surrendered possession needlessly, Al Naimat was repelled by Jo and Al Taamari curled an effort off inches target.
However, just before the half hour, South Korea thought they had a reprieve. Initially, UAE referee Mohammed Abdullah Hassan awarded a penalty for a coming together between Seol Young-woo and Yazan Al Arab, but after consulting VAR, he realised the Korean full-back had actually committed the foul.
Sensing a switch in momentum, South Korea nearly seized the lead. Hwang In-beom sent in a cross and Lee Jae-sung nodded the ball goalwards. Yet his header cannoned off the Jordan upright.
As half-time approached, Al Naimat raced into the Korean penalty area before slaloming somehow past three defenders. But Jo blocked brilliantly.
Although, much like his team time and again this tournament, Al Naimat would ultimately not be denied. Not even eight second-half minutes had elapsed when Al Taamari intercepted another loose pass by Park Yong-woo, advanced at speed and slid in his fellow forward. Al Naimat chipped beautifully past Jo, and the partisan Jordanian crowd erupted.
Stunned, and not for the first time in Qatar, Klinsmann threw on baulking striker Cho Gue-sung. Soon, Cho headed over the Jordan bar.
Still, Jordan looked the more likely. On 66 minutes, Al Taamari would have his moment. Latching again on a Korean concession, the Montpellier winger collected the ball just inside the half, raced at a backtracking defence, dropped his shoulder to move inside and then arched a sublime shot away from Jo at full stretch.
Jordan were in dreamland, South Korea in despair. The six-time finalists were battered by a buoyant and bright side never before to this point. Another similar display in four days’ time – if that is even possible – and Jordan will be Asian Cup champions.
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
More on Quran memorisation:
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
