Holding Midfield: Humble Beginnings in Jordan

[Holding Midfield]

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When Jordan began their World Cup campaign back in July of 2011 memories of the previous summer?s final in Johannesburg were still fresh. European eyes were still firmly fixed on the business end of Euro 2012 qualifying and nowhere but in the most out-lying islands of the Pacific and the remotest out-posts of world football was anybody getting their boots dirty on the road to Brazil for 2014. Nestled almost anonymously in the middle band of nations making up the qualifying pool in the Asian federation Jordan were spared the hassle of the preliminary round of games a month earlier, an unheralded and unnoticed place in the global game where Vietnam casually roll thirteen past a bewildered Macau and nobody bats an eyelid. In their first tie Al-Nash?m? – the Chivalrous as they are known to their fans – dismantled Nepal 10-1 without much fanfare (or chivalry) before emerging from the next stage draw in a hostile group which included Iraq, China and scant hope that their ball would trouble the draw-master for the final round of qualifiers. A lot?s changed in two and half years. In any other year Jordan?s success in making it to within a play-off of […]

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