Uruguay's awesome firepower too much for hapless Jordan

Uruguay punished Jordan with clinical finishing en route to a 5-0 triumph in the playoff first leg and all but end the West Asian team's hopes of a first appearance in the World Cup finals.

The South American champion was not at its brilliant best in Amman on Wednesday, but the multi-million dollar firepower it possesses proved far too much for the plucky underdogs.

Maximiliano Pereira, Cristian Stuani, Nicolas Lodeiro and Cristian Rodriguez all scored before Edinson Cavani capped the rout with a brilliant free kick.

"We knew we had to take advantage of every chance we got and I think that's what happened," Uruguay striker Luis Suarez said.

Jordan, competing at the final stage of qualifying for the first time, had a couple of early chances before Pereira opened the scoring in the 22nd minute.

The home side was down 2-0 at halftime after Stuani's strike and wasted a glorious opportunity at the start of the second period when Ahmad Ibrahim blasted wide from close range when it looked impossible to miss.

"We played very good football in the first 20 minutes of the game and we matched the stars of Uruguay and the result would be different if we exploited two chances we created," said Salah Sabra, vice-president of the Jordan FA.

Two-time world champion Uruguay made Jordan pay for the missed efforts with Lodeiro and Rodriguez taking advantage of tired defending before Cavani scored a stunning strike in the final seconds.

"Jordan is a team that pressures you a lot; they knew what they wanted and were hopeful," Uruguay captain Diego Lugano said.

"The result does not reflect the match, but luckily we have a team with scoring capabilities and that's why we're closer (to Brazil)."

Paris St. Germain forward Cavani, signed for a reported 64 million euros ($85.8 million) in July, praised Jordan's effort.

"As it finished 5-0 for us, it looks like it was easy but it wasn't at all easy," he said.

"They have a combative team that surely was up to the match and didn't want to miss their chance (to qualify), but we responded with a lot of will and skill."

The Uruguayans finished fourth at the last World Cup in South Africa and possessed more than enough quality to book an automatic berth for Brazil by finishing in one of the top four spots in South American qualifying.

A stuttering campaign, though, meant all they could manage was fifth and a playoff against Jordan, which finished fifth in Asia.

(China Daily 11/15/2013 page24)