Jordan coach issues bold challenge to Socceroos

Jordan coach Vital Borkelmans says his team won’t park the bus and will attack Australia when the two nations meet in a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier on Friday morning (AEDT).

Borkelmans

Jordan coach Vital Borkelmans Source: Getty Images

The Socceroos and the Chivalrous will lock horns at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman, with Borkelmans having masterminded an impressive 1-0 win over Australia at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Now the Belgian is seeking another coup against Graham Arnold’s men. Jordan were disciplined and counter-attacked with precision when the two countries last faced off in January.

But Borkelmans insists it won’t be all-out defence for the Jordanians. 

“I say to my players I don’t defend – we must try to make goals,” Borkelmans told The World Game

“I tell this to my players. We must attack. When you play against big teams like Australia and they have the ball in the box, they will score. 

“They have this. But, when you make it difficult for them, also you have chances when you will score. I tell my players we must play high [up the field], we must pressure, we must play on the other side always.” 

Australia are currently top of Group B and unbeaten with nine points after three wins from three matches, while Jordan sit in second place with seven points after two wins and a draw.

The top two teams from the Group go through to the next round and victory in this match will almost guarantee qualification to the third round for either side.

The Middle Eastern outfit have a terrific record against the Socceroos on home soil, beating the green and gold 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in 2015 and also 2-1 in Amman in 2012.

But Borkelmans puts little stock in past results and says his side have been preparing to deal with Australia’s set-piece threat, particularly towering centre-back Harry Souttar.

“You have some teams that you have difficulties against,” he said. 

“But each game is so different to the next game. I don’t look at statistics, at past results. I believe only in my players and to make them ready from the first minute to the 95th minute. 

“They must be ready for each action, each corner, each free-kick. Australia are so dangerous. 

“They are very dangerous from corners, they are strong in the centre, on the right side and the left side, and players come from the second line. 

“We work on this and train on this, and know it can happen. Then you have one minute where your attention is not there and maybe it is a goal.

“We’re training every day like a club team. We have no competition in our country and now we train every day two times. Everything is good, everybody is fit at the moment.”

Borkelmans, who spent four years as an assistant to Marc Wilmots with the Belgian national team, was appointed head coach of Jordan in 2018.

Under him the Chivalrous topped their group at the Asian Cup ahead of the Socceroos, but were knocked out on penalties by Vietnam in the round of 16.

Since the Asian Cup Jordan have suffered losses to Syria, Iraq, Slovakia, Bahrain and, most recently, a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Paraguay.

Last month in their World Cup qualifier against Kuwait they were held, 0-0.


Share
Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service. Read more about Sport
Have a story or comment? Contact Us

Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service.
Watch nowOn Demand
Follow SBS Sport
3 min read
Published 12 November 2019 9:50am
By John Davidson

Share this with family and friends