Asian Cup 2015: Jordan out to upset Japan, says coach Ray Wilkins

JORDAN coach Ray Wilkins has vowed to make life uncomfortable for Japan in Tuesday’s do-or-die clash at a sold out AAMI Park in Melbourne.

TUESDAY night’s Asian Cup clash between Japan and Jordan in Melbourne is officially sold out.

It continues the extraordinary support for the tournament and is the fourth sell-out of the group stages, after Australia and Kuwait in Melbourne, Australia v Korea Republic in Brisbane and China v DPR Korea in Canberra.

“The support that Australians and visitors from across Asia have given this tournament has been phenomenal,” Local Organising Committee CEO Michael Brown said.

“It is not only the numbers that they have turned out in, it is the colour, noise and passion they have bought to stadiums around Australia that has certainly been a highlight of this AFC Asian Cup.

“To Australians who have not yet been to a game I can only say, get out to a stadium and experience it for yourself. The quality of the football on the pitch and the atmosphere created in the stands has been sensational and will continue as we enter the knockout stages later this week.”

Jordan coach Ray Wilkins has vowed to make life uncomfortable for Japan in what is a do-or-die clash for his side.

Rank outsiders to win and advance to the quarter-finals, Wilkins said he lives in hope that his side can cause the first major boilover of this month’s Asian Cup.

But Japan coach Javier Aguirre said he is intent on winning the match despite knowing a draw will be enough to see them advance as group winner.

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Japan’s Hiroshi Kiyotake reacts after another missed chance during the game against Iraq.

“We will go to win the game, we will not do calculations,” Aguirre said.

“We will respect Jordan, but we will go to win, not to draw.”

A Jordan loss will see them eliminated.

A draw will only be enough if Iraq suffer a shock loss to lowly Palestine in Canberra.

However, should Jordan upset the odds and win — which they did when the teams last met in Amman in 2013 — then there remains a chance Jordan and Iraq will advance at Japan’s expense.

If Jordan and Iraq both win, goal difference in matches involving only Japan, Jordan and Iraq will determine which two teams go through.

Wilkins said “I wouldn’t class it as a disaster” if his side lost to the four-time Asian champions.

“I think it’s very important that we’re still in the game after 55 minutes to an hour.

“If we go gung-ho against the Japanese it could be extremely difficult because they are a very good side. We will be cautious, but every opportunity we get to attack them we will attack them.”

Jordan coach Ray Wilkins is hoping his side can upset the Asian Cup favourites.

Wilkins said prior to the game against Iraq last Monday that the winner of that match would probably advance to the quarter-finals with the Samurai Blue.

“But we live in hope,” he said.

“We were disappointed to lose to Iraq ... but now we still have a chance to go through and that’s the important thing.

“All I will say to you is that we will be prepared to play against Japan and we will have the best plan we possibly can in place.

“We will try to make it as uncomfortable as we can for them.”

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Jordan out to upset Japan, says coach Ray Wilkins