Jordan set up a semi-final against South Korea or Australia after ending Tajikistan’s fairytale Asian Cup run with a nervy 1-0 win on Friday.

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In a cagey quarter-final, a deflected second-half own goal was just about enough to see Jordan reach the last four for the first time. 

It was tough on charismatic Croatian coach Petar Segrt and his Tajikistan team, who were the lowest-ranked side left in Qatar and won plenty of new friends in their first Asian Cup.

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But it was a piece of history for Jordan under their Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta, the country having been defeated in their previous quarter-finals in 2004 and 2011.

“We were rewarded for our efforts and our ambitions are getting bigger and bigger,” said defender Yazan Al-Arab, who was named man of the match.

“This was history. We are into the semi-finals and we rely on our fans to keep supporting us no matter who we play.

“We need now to forget the Tajikistan match and concentrate on the semi-finals and our dream of reaching the final.”

Jordan, ranked 87 in the world to the 106 of Tajikistan, scored twice in stoppage time to stun Iraq 3-2 in the previous round and they made the better start in front of 36,000 spectators at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, a 2022 World Cup venue.

But Tajikistan carved out the first big chance, midfielder Ehson Panjshanbe haring into the box and clipping his first-time effort onto the top of Jordan’s bar on 15 minutes.

VAR was called into action when Tajikistan’s Zoir Dzhuraboev sliced down Yazan Al-Naimat in the box but VAR agreed with the referee and said no penalty.

Segrt was forced into a change midway through the half when Shahrom Samiev was forced off with a hamstring injury, the striker departing in floods of tears.

Jordan fans dominated in the crowd and thought their team had scored on the half-hour mark, but danger man Naimat poked wide from a tight angle.

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