Story highlights
Uruguay thrash Jordan 5-0 in their World Cup qualification playoff first leg
Class tells for world's sixth best team against Middle East minnows
PSG's Edinson Cavani on scoresheet as Uruguay take big step towards Brazil
Mexico thrash New Zealand 5-1 in first leg of their World Cup playoff
It took Jordan two years, two group stages and a full 18 games to get to the brink of their first ever World Cup finals.
The country had reached fever pitch, salivating at the prospect of their small Arab kingdom securing a place in Brazil alongside the world’s best soccer-playing nations.
Standing in their way were Uruguay, 1950 World Cup winners and ranked as the sixth best team on the planet, brimming with world class talent like Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani.
But though the team known as ‘Al-Nashama’, which translates as ‘The Brave Gentlemen’, battled gamely in the first leg of their playoff in front of their reigning monarch King Abdullah, the dream is all but over.
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Uruguay ran out 5-0 winners in Amman, delighting their small pocket of fans who made the journey from South America, meaning the mother of all footballing miracles will be needed if Jordan are to qualify.
Still, a portion of their deflated supporters stayed behind after the final whistle to applaud the opposition, whose superior quality told in goals from Maxi Pereira, Christian Stuani, Nicolás Lodeiro, Cristian Rodriguez and Cavani.
Jordan started well, Odai Al Saify nearly sneaking a shot inside the near post of Uruguay goalkeeper Martín Silva, but the home side were soon on the back foot.
The deadlock was broken on 22 minutes when Pereira, who plays in Portugal for Benfica, tapped home from close range after Cavani’s header had been parried by Jordanian goalkeeper Abdulla al-Zubi.
The second wasn’t far behind as Stuani steered a low shot into the net after poor defending allowed a cross to fall to the striker, who plys his club trade for Espanyol in Spain.
After the interval, Jordan fashioned their best chance of the game but Ibrahim al-Zawareh missed the target from close range after Shareef Adnan’s inviting cross.
Lodeiro made it three on 69 minutes, sweeping home after good work from Cavani and Rodriguez grabbed a fourth moments later with a crisp volley from inside the area.
Jordan’s misery was complete in time added on as Cavani got the goal his performance warranted, arrowing a free kick from 25 yards into the top corner.
The return leg is in Montevideo next Wednesday but Jordan will travel to South America in the knowledge that their first World Cup appearance is set to elude them again.
Mexico joy
Mexico are odds on to join Uruguay in Brazil after they took a commanding 5-1 lead in their playoff with New Zealand.
There was a real fear among the country’s football mad fans that Mexico might miss out on the World Cup for the first time since 1990, and they had to rely on other results going their way even to make the playoffs.
Coach Miguel Herrera was their fourth in five qualification matches but his decision to overlook star names like Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez in favor of those who play in Mexico’s domestic league paid off.
Two goals from Oribe Peralta and further strikes from Raúl Jiménez, Paul Aguilar and Rafael Márquez put Mexico into a five-goal lead before Chris James grabbed a consolation goal for the Kiwis.
The return leg takes place in New Zealand next Tuesday.
