Jordan advanced to the Asian Cup quarter-finals after a 3-2 win over Iraq, which saw striker and tournament top scorer Aymen Hussein sent off for excessive goal celebrations on Monday.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Tuesday banned the “aggressive” journalists who confronted Iraqi coach Jesus Casas following the country’s defeat in the Round of 16 of the Asian Cup against Jordan.

Jordan advanced to the Asian Cup quarter-finals after two stoppage-time goals secured a 3-2 win over Iraq. Striker and tournament top scorer Aymen Hussein was sent off late for excessive goal celebrations.

In the post-match press conference, several Iraqi reporters pointed and shouted at the Spaniard and approached him at the front of the room before being taken out by security.

The governing body for football released a statement on the situation, stating, “The AFC is deeply disappointed by the actions witnessed during the post-match press conference and have taken the swift decision to bar the responsible individuals from covering not only the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 but also future AFC tournaments.

“Accreditation is a privilege that comes with the responsibility to adhere to ethical standards, and those who violate these standards will face the consequences,” the statement added.

The performance of Iranian-Australian referee Alireza Faghani came under the spotlight for his decision to send off Aymen Hussein for over-celebrating, after the striker sat on the ground mimicking eating, just as the Jordan players had done after scoring.

While Iraq fumed, Jordan took full advantage of the extra men on the pitch, edging a comeback that ultimately set up a quarter-final with tournament debutants Tajikistan.