Australia's Jordan rivalry heats up in 2016

For a rivalry that only began in 2012, Australia and Jordan have already built up quite a healthy competition over the last four years. And it's about to come to the boil.

And it’s set to write a couple ore chapters over the next two months, starting with the Olyroos' do-or-die clash with Jordan at the AFC U-23 Championships on Thursday morning (AEDT).

The two nations face-off with the winner to keep their Rio Olympics dream alive, while it will be heart-break for the loser.

It could be a similar story on March 29 as the Ange Postecoglou’s Socceroos host Jordan in a must-win FIFA World Cup qualifier in Sydney.

If history tells us anything, that clash at Allianz Stadium will be an intense and feisty affair.

You only have to look at Australia’s previous two visits to Jordan to understand how much this rivalry is building.

Tim Cahill and Tarek Elrich try to dispossess Jordan's Hamza Aldaradreh in Amman.


Who can forget that first meeting in the hostile surrounds of the King Abdullah International Stadium in Amman in 2012?

On that occasion Jordan shocked Holger Osieck’s troops 2-1 with goals to Abdel Fattah and Amer Deeb ensuring Archie Thompson’s late strike would have no significance.

The Socceroos gained revenge the following year with a 4-0 thumping in Melbourne but a return to Jordan last year again saw the Green and Gold come unstuck.

This time a Hamza Al Dardour-inspired Jordan ran out 2-0 winners last October, much to the delight of a raucous crowd in Amman.

Al Dardour (many Australian fans will remember scored four goals against Palestine in last year’s Asian Cup), caused the Socceroos' defence all sorts of problems and will be the main threat again in Sydney.

Hamza Al Dardour celebrates a goal against Palestine at January's Asian Cup.


While Japan is the Socceroos’ traditional rivals in the region, the Jordan match-up is fast becoming just as important.

So what will these next chapters in the ever-growing rivalry throw up?

The Olyroos will hope to land the first punch in the early hours of Thursday morning by ending Jordan’s Olympic Games hopes.

While revenge will most definitely be on the mind of Postecoglou and the Socceroos in March as the home side look to make a statement on the Road to Russia 2018.

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