Here’s your match report.

90+5 mins: Two final chances for Australia, first to Ikonomidis, then to Irvine but Shafi stands tall and repels both. With the ball in his clutches the final whistle blows.

90+5 mins: ... cleared by Jordan.

90+4 mins: Corner to Australia...

90+3 mins: It’s all getting desperate and thoughtless for Australia. Jordan are milking every second off the clock that they can. They are on the cusp of a momentous and deserved victory.

90+2 mins: Ahmed Ersan almost seals it with a thrilling counterattacking run and shot that just clips the outside of Ryan’s near post.

90+1 mins: Five minutes of injury time.

90 mins: Saeed Al Murjan now replaced by Ahmed Saleh.

89 mins: Cramp everywhere. Ahmad Ersan comes on for Yasen Bakheet. Tom Rogic smashes a speculative shot well wide.

87 mins: Maclaren has the ball in the net but the flag’s up for offside. It was a poacher’s finish following a penalty box scramble after some lovely interplay between Rogic and Mabil led to the Celtic star driving a shot against a forest of bodies. Replays show Maclaren was offisde by the smallest of margins.

While Australia are still gathering their thoughts Jordan almost prosper with some old fashioned rout one bish bash bosh but after the flick-on from the goal kick the shot is straight at Ryan.

85 mins: Deep crosses from the right are the order of the day for Australia and the latest again finds Ikonomidis but he heads wide under pressure.

83 mins: Another excellent Grant cross causes mayhem in Jordan’s box. Ikonomidis’ header forces Shafi into a save before Australia appeal vociferously for a penalty for a high boot against Maclaren but again it’s waved away.

82 mins: Excellent cross from deep from Grant, free header for Irvine just inside the box, but it dribbles harmlessly wide.

79 mins: Out of nowhere Mabil thrashes a shot against the post! Typical rope-a-dope from Jordan almost came back to haunt them as Mabil showed quick feet in the box, engineered half a yard of space and with little backlift unleashed a fierce piledriver that beat Shafi at his near post and cannoned back off the upright.

All manner of Jordanian players are suffering cramp now. For Australian fans the next ten minutes is going to be hellish.

77 mins: Jordan’s turn to appeal for a handball. Behich heading a clearance down onto his wrist. Another in the “you’ve seen them given” bracket but it would have been desperately harsh.

76 mins: It’s all getting a bit predictable from Australia now, unable to find joy through the middle but lacking pace on the ball to engineer width either. With the freedom of space to counterattack Jordan always look dangerous.

73 mins: The sub is immediately in on goal too but it’s a tame effort. The chance came about following a promising opportunity for Australia but Ikonomidis couldn’t make the most of it in the box.

Final sub from Arnold sees Jackson Irvine replace Luongo.

71 mins: Australia are trying to gamble with some one-touch stuff on the edge of the Jordanian box but the bounce just isn’t favouring them. After a patient build up Behich eventually finds space down the left and whips a pull-back to the instep of Rogic at the top of the box but his effort lacks technique and spoons over the bar.

Jordan remove the very tasty Al-Taamari with Baha Seif.

68 mins: Jordan down to ten men for the time being, inviting Australia to come at them. They do, but Rogic can’t unpick the lock on a couple of occasions, Luongo has a penalty appeal turned down for being on the receiving end of a robust shoulder barge, and then the pressure is once again released with a foul in midfield.

67 mins: A rare sortie forward from Jordan ends with a stinging Saeed Murjan snapshot straight into Ryan’s bread basket. He does himself a mischief stretching for the shot though and the stretcher is out to see him off the field.

66 mins: Australia are trying to shift Jordan’s block from one side to the other but it is a well organised 6-4-0 block that is as defensively sound as Cheteshwar Pujara.

64 mins: It’s been nearly all Australia this second half and they’re turning the screw, camped on the edge of Jordan’s box. A soft free-kick in midfield allows some respite though and the Socceroos have to rebuild from deep.

62 mins: Better delivery from Mabil from a free-kick not far from the corner flag but Jordan defend it well. Australia remain on the front foot though and Rogic eventually takes possession in time and space on the edge of the box but his powerful left foot shot is straight at Shafi. Probably the best chance of the night so far.

61 mins: Poor set-piece. The latest in a long line of poor set-pieces it has to be said. That was Mabil’s fault for a wasteful delivery but even when he has delivered something tempting the support hasn’t arrived in the box to convert. Again, Mooy’s influence is being missed.

60 mins: Off the ball free-kick to Australia right on the corner of the penalty area down the left hand side. Inches from a penalty following an obstruction on Behich attempting to overlap. What can Mabil do with the delivery?

58 mins: A rare combination for Australia sees Milligan and Maclaren combine nicely but the ball doesn’t drop kindly for Ikonomidis. Again, the ball to Maclaren was head high, which is far from the diminutive No9’s forte.

57 mins: Yaseen Al-Bakhit again shows his quality down the left, turning Sainsbury inside out and earning a corner. Jordan in no hurry to take this, already milking the clock. When the set piece is eventually taken it’s cleared by Australia before the scraps are wellied with serious venom over the bar.

55 mins: First substitution for Australia. The anonymous Kruse replaced by Ikonomidis. Kruse’s starting place surely has to be under threat.

53 mins: Another corner, and again the first ball - which is decent - fails to hit an onrushing Australian. The second ball finds Behich outside the box but his dipping shot is always going over. From the goal kick Yaseen Al-Bakhit skins Grant down the left but his wicked cross doesn’t find a red shirt.

52 mins: First corner of the half to Australia but it isn’t threatening. They are pressurising Jordan in these early minutes of the second half though.

51 mins: Oooh, that was nasty from Al-Taamari, late on Behich near the corner flag, and he gets a deserved yellow card.

This is a very Mooy game.

49 mins: Rogic ghosts past his marker 40m from goal, drifts forward and then drags his shot wide from distance. Promising signs early this half for the Socceroos.

48 mins: Grant has an instant impact, creating space on the right for Mabil to exploit and whip in a dangerous cross that Shafi palms into the danger zone but the ball falls kindly to a red shirt.

47 mins: Jordan’s game is built around a very well-executed press. They’re happy to concede possession in large parts of the field but when the ball reaches their key zones they are onto Australia in a flash. They are especially keen to deny Behich any room down the left.

46 mins: Daniel Garb is on the money. Australia begin the second half with Grant replacing Risdon at right-back. With the dirty mullet and scruffy facial hair he looks a Bintang singlet short of a backpacker.

Very few bright sparks that half for Australia. Mabil the liveliest of any forwards, Rogic the most dangerous in midfield but it is a low ceiling. Kruse and Maclaren have both been anonymous while further back Sainsbury has looked shaky while Luongo was guilty of conceding a series of cheap turnovers.

However, this doesn’t look to be a problem simply to be solved by a couple of substitutions. Jordan’s solidity down the spine and Australia’s inability to even threaten to penetrate with 70% possession suggests a tactical rethink is also required.

“Sainsbury seems to be lacking confidence the past 3-4 games. Maybe having to rid himself of some rustiness through lack of club match time?”. Yep, looks like it Marzi De Santi. He has played well below his excellent best recently and would have no complaints if he is replaced by Milligan and more creativity introduced to midfield.

45+2 mins: Nearing half-time and Australia still can’t pass their way through Jordan. Hmmmm, I’ve seen another angle of the penalty shout and I’m now leaning towards a spot-kick. Not definitively, but, enough.

44 mins: Was that a handball? Australia cry for a penalty but their claims are waved away by the Omani offical. Replays show it’s very much ball to hand, but the hand was trailing behind the defender as he put his body in a position to block a cross from the left. No pen for mine, but you see them given more often than not in the A-League, but that’s another issue...

43 mins: Sasa Ognenovski is raving about Khalil Bani Attiah who has put in an almighty shift for Jordan. Much of what I’ve described about Australia being unable to work the ball through midfield is down to that man. A display of old school defensive hassle and putting a foot in.

41 mins: Australia’s passing lanes are non-existent, which is a compliment to Jordan defensively and an indictment of how the Socceroos have moved the ball. On the rare occasions a gold shirted forward finds possession he is immediately set upon by red clad enemies.

38 mins: That challenge on Luongo typifies Jordan’s half. They are not giving an inch. Another Australian corner comes to nought, this time Mabil picking out Rogic but the Celtic man miscontrolled. He’s then bundled over and in need of treatment (sorry Celtic fans). Replays show it’s a rolled ankle after he trod on the foot of a Jordanian defender. He’ a bit proppy.

36 mins: Delay in play while Luongo receives treatment for a drop of claret leaking out of the back of his head. He’s been bandaged up a la Terry Butcher/Joel Selwood/a lazy fancy dress Mummy.

They are playing as though he, or his ghost, is there.

35 mins: Rogic is struggling to find possession in dangerous areas so he’s dropping deep to collect the ball. The consequence of that is an isolated Maclaren and little link-up play. This is not the fluid, roaming interchangeable forward line of recent friendlies.

32 mins: “You have to admire the intensity of Jordan,” states Simon Hill on TV, and he’s bang on. They’ve suffocated Australia in midfield and the Jordanian front three look more than a match for Australia’s back four. Plenty for Graham Arnold to ponder in terms of personnel and structure.

29 mins: Ryan magnificently tips a superb free-kick onto the crossbar! Australia are on the ropes here.

28 mins: This is not going to script for Australia at all. Yellow card for Sainsbury for hauling down Al-Taamari on the edge of the box after getting caught out of position - and not for the first time. Very dangerous shooting opportunity coming up for Abdel-Rahman.

26 mins: There’s a slight delay following a collision in the Jordanian box and it interrupts Australia’s flow. Shortly after the restart Australia are - not for the first time - robbed in midfield and Jordan enjoy two or three phases of attacking play that culminates in a corner.

23 mins: Australia have started to assert themselves in the past few minutes, thanks largely to players breaking lines with the ball at their feet, first Rogic, then Luongo. When the QPR man threatens to reach a gallop he’s brought down and from the resulting free-kick Shafi once again races off his line to punch the ball away with two clenched fists and both feet off the ground. That really has been the defining image of the game so far.

20 mins: This is the least dynamic performance so far under Arnold. There isn’t any forward momentum, the outcome often long diagonals from deep hoping for second ball scraps. Rogic is putting himself about though, which is encouraging. Another Mabil corner is theatrically punched clear.

18 mins: Rogic puts in a superb chase and tackle to halt a Jordanian counterattack. From the resulting move Risdon has time to deliver a cross from the right and despite being nowhere near his intended target it causes Shafi some nervous moments at his far post.

15 mins: Sainsbury is manhandled by Khalil Bani Attiah at a long throw and Jordan have another shot on goal, but it’s a tame one across the face. Again Australia struggle to clear the midfield block in transition, the Socceroos sloppy heading forward and Jordan keen as mustard steeping in to break up play.

13 mins: Jordan have their tails up, snapping into tackles in midfield and hassling forward whenever an opportunity presents. Australia respond well though, Mabil slipping behind the Jordanian defence and unleashing a snapshot with his left foot that Shafi keeps out smartly at his near post. After a lacklustre opening ten minutes this game is coming to the boil nicely.

12 mins: First shot of the day comes from Yousef Al-Rawashdeh and it’s a rasping drive from outside the box that Ryan has to be alert to keep out. The chance originated from sloppy play by Luongo.

10 mins: First moment of real intent from the Jordanians and it’s the dangerous Musa Al-Taamari hustling and bustling down the right, but he’s outnumbered by the time he reaches the penalty area.

8 mins: Kruse earns a corner that is acrobatically punched clear by Amer Shafi. That was reminiscent of a Hollywood stuntman, flying full length forward and two-fisting the ball miles.

6 mins: Luongo commits a foul on halfway that later in the game would likely result in a yellow card. From there Jordan mount a tepid attack that allows Australia to transition into attack quickly from the back and look threatening in the process. When the ball is moved more slowly and structured there’s less penetration, and that’s how Jordan have set up, to allow Australia as much time on the ball as they like in their own half.

4 mins: First chance for Risdon to get free down the right and whip a cross in but it’s cleared easily by Jordan. The right proves fertile ground for Australia a few seconds later with first Maclaren then Mabil doing well. The latter runs at pace into space but runs out of ideas and momentum before a chance can be fashioned.

2 mins: Quiet start from both sides. Australia dominating possession but lacking an obvious release ball from defence. One long diagonal was aimed towards Maclaren but as we are all now well aware, that is not his game.

The referee tonight is Ahmed Al-Kaf. He is from Oman.

Anthem time. A good chance to admire the vast empty spaces in the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

The teams are waiting in the tunnel, Australia top to toe in gold, Jordan a block of red.

Last preview link before we settle into the action, and it’s from me, when I temporarily dispensed with my Socceroos commemorative supporter wear (TM) to try to gauge the potential of this Asian Cup in providing a unifying moment for football in Australia. The conclusion wasn’t overly optimistic.

Logistics are far from conducive to unifying the country. 10pm AEDT is the most family friendly kick-off time during the tournament with matches at the business end of proceedings taking place in the witching hours. Add to that, all the action from the United Arab Emirates is exclusively on pay TV.”

This is the first of three Asian Cup matches today/tonight. Elsewhere in Australia’s Group B Syria will start as favourites against Palestine, while in Group A Thailand will be looking to seize top spot when they take on India.

Staying up late? Losing the will to keep your eyelids open? Have a giggle at Chris Sutton’s expense courtesy of David Squires.

Graham Arnold has just spoken on the telly.

On the late injury-enforced change from Nabbout to Maclaren up front:“Not disruptive at all. Every player who trains knows their role. We’ve got some great depth and go into this game confident.”

On preparations so far: “We’ve had a great camp in Dubai, the game against Oman was fantastic and the boys are in great spirits. We’re excited.”

And finally, on what to expect from the performance against Jordan: “We’ll press high and suffocate the life out of them in their half.”

Superb looking stadium. Not expecting a packed house for today’s contest though.

The lack of a potent striker has hampered Australia for a number of years and it’s a obstacle faced by the current squad, writes Stephen Ganavas.

In the absence of Tim Cahill, Australia have a lot of potential goal-scorers but none of them are sufficiently proven at international level. Graham Arnold will need to find at least one amongst his 23-man squad should the Socceroos harbour hopes of going back-to-back at the Asian Cup.”

Australia’s group looks straightforward on paper but John Duerden has identified some pitfalls.

Of the three Group B opponents lined up in the United Arab Emirates in January, only Palestine present something of a novelty to a nation now in its tweens as a member of the Asian football family.

Jordan and Syria were met along the road to Russia 2018 with mixed results and it is the latter that presents the greatest threat to the Socceroos finishing top of the group.”

Let’s start our prematch warm-up by looking at some of the Asian Cup preview content elsewhere on the site, starting with John Davidson’s upbeat analysis of the early months of Graham Arnold’s tenure.

So far, so good. For all the complaining that came from many sections of Australian football when Graham Arnold was confirmed as the new Socceroos head coach before the 2018 World Cup, on the field Arnold’s side has yet to miss a beat.”