You are here

Faisali close to 34th league title; Jazira, Wihdat impress in AFC Cup

By Aline Bannayan - May 01,2019 - Last updated at May 01,2019

AMMAN — Faisali are one step away from the 34th title with the Jordan Professional Football League entering Week 21 on Thursday.

Faisali, who beat Ahli 2-1 and pushed the latter towards relegation, need just three points from their upcoming two matches to be crowned champs. They next play Baqaa while Jazira’s remaining matches will determine final leading positions.

Jazira beat Sarih 3-1 and next play Shabab Urdun as they seem poised to take the runner-up spot unless Faisali lose both upcoming matches and Jazira win.

Titleholders Wihdat were held 0-0 by Aqaba and settled for third for now, while fourth placed Shabab Urdun were held 0-0 by Baqa’a who are 9th.

Ramtha improved their position after they beat Hussein 1-0 and clung to their place in the league ahead of their match against Salt. Aqaba who maintained their spot in the elite group play Sarih while Ahli play Hussein. 

That Ras held Salt 0-0 but dropped to the First Division with a match remaining against Wihdat. That Ras, a previous Asian Football Confederation Cup participant and Jordan Cup champ in 2012 were the first to drop while Ahli, who were relegated last decade, came back in impressive form and won the Jordan Cup in 2015 and played in the AFC also seem poised to drop.

The 2018/19 football season kicked off with league champs Wihdat beating Jordan Cup champs Jazira in the 36th Jordan Super Cup. Regionally, Wihdat were knocked out of the 2018/19 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League preliminary round.  In the AFC Cup, the second-tier Asian club competition, Jazira and Wihdat are impressive with two more round to go. 

Wihdat beat Lebanon’s Nijmeh 2-0 to take their Group A lead and secure qualifying chances, while Jazira moved to the next round after they trounced Bahrain’s Najma 3-0 in Stage 5 of the AFC Cup.

Last season, Wihdat won the league for 16th time. Jazira lost two competition finals conceding the 35th Jordan Super Cup to Faisali and the Jordan Football Association Shield final to Wihdat. Jazira finished runner-up in the league, but made club history by winning the 38th Jordan Cup final after they last won the Jordan Cup in 1984. 

Since the league kicked off in 1944, Faisali are record 33-time winners, while Wihdat were crowned champs 16 times since they joined in 1980.

up
41 users have voted, including you.


Newsletter

Get top stories and blog posts emailed to you each day.

PDF