SANTA CLARA, California (Reuters) – Jordan are feeling pride not pressure ahead of their World Cup debut against Austria and will ‌fight to prove their worth in what will be a new chapter in the country’s soccer history, captain Ehsan Haddad said on Monday.
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Known for their strong counter-attacking, Jordan scored 32 goals in World Cup qualifying and are seeking to become ​the first team to reach the knockout stage in a debut appearance since Slovakia’s feat ​in 2010.
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“We are participating for the first time in our history. It is â a great source of pride for us. This is pride more than pressure. It was the dream ​to be here,” Haddad said.
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“We have self-confidence,” he said. “The pressure that we used to feel got us ​here. So let us see where it’s going to lead us to.”
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There will be no gentle introduction for the side known at home as Al-Nashama, or the “noble ones”, with Austria eager to make their mark on the tournament after 28 years in ​the World Cup wilderness.
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Jordan’s next match in Group J will be against Algeria, then defending champions Argentina.
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BIG STEP UP ​TO WORLD STAGE
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The step up to the World Cup will be a big leap, with the bulk of the ‌Jordan squad â from clubs at home or in the Middle East and only winger Mousa Al Tamari playing club football in Europe, with French side Stade Rennais.
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Haddad said Jordan felt privileged to be at the World Cup when teams like Italy had missed out, but they would not settle for just showing up.
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“There are great ​players historically who are ​not here today. This â is a source of motivation for us to give it everything we’ve got,” he said.
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“We are going to fight, we’re going to be patient for 90 ​minutes and we’re going to stick to our game plan.”
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Jordan coach Jamal ​Sellami said Austria â had strong midfielders and were good in attack and in the air, but he had a gameplan he would stick to in the group encounter in Santa Clara at the stadium of the San Francisco 49ers.
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Sellami â said good ​opening matches in this World Cup for countries that qualified ​from Asia – Japan, South Korea, Australia and Qatar – had motivated his team.
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“The results they achieved are really encouraging,” he said. “It’s all ​positive, positive motivators for the players or for them to perform.”
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