Jordan beats Uzbekistan in Asian WCup playoff

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan: Jordan beat Uzbekistan 9-8 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday to reach an intercontinental playoff for a place at the 2014 World Cup.
After a 1-1 draw last Friday in the first leg of the Asian zone playoff, the second leg also finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time — during which a power failure forced a brief suspension of the game.
Jordan will now take on the fifth-place team in South American qualifying for a place in next year’s finals in Brazil. The playoff will be staged over two legs in November.
Uzbekistan took an early lead after a superb free kick by Server Djeparov early goal in the fifth minute. Jordan goalkeeper Amer Shafi could only parry the shot and Anzur Ismailov pounced on the loose ball to score.
Jordan’s Saeed Murjan equalized in the 42nd minute with a powerful shot from outside the box.
Uzbekistan had most of the possession in the second half and extra time, but Jordan’s tough defense and a series of saves by Shafi kept the contest level until the shootout.