Faisali, Jazira set sights on Jordan Cup title

AMMAN — The Jordan Cup semifinals end on Saturday with four teams in contention for the final title of the season.

Faisali seek to repeat their win over rivals Wihdat whom they beat 2-0 last week. Jazira, who were favoured to win the league, settled for second and now aim to reach the final. Jazira overcame Ramtha 1-0 in the first leg of the semifinals and now have an advantage to play in the May 24 final.

With no Division 1 teams playing this year, teams were split into two groups with top two teams from each group making it to the semis: Ramtha and Faisali booked top spots from Group A edging their rivals with ease as holders Ahli finished third followed by Sahab, Manshieh and Baqa’a. In Group B, Wihdat and Jazira ousted Hussein Irbid, Shabab Urdun, Hussein and That Ras. 

This season, Faisali won the Jordan Professional Football League title for a record 33rd time after a four year break with Jazira finishing second and Wihdat third. Ahli won the first major competition on the 2016/17 football calendar when they beat Wihdat 2-1 to win the 34th Super Cup. In the Jordan Football Association Shield, Shabab Urdun scored a major 5-1 win over Faisali to win their second Shield title after they first won in 2007.

Regionally, Wihdat have technically exited the Round of 16 of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup after they also exited the Asian Champions League earlier in the season. After losing the chance to win their fourth consecutive and 16th overall league title last week, Wihdat’s head coach Adnan Hamad resigned and the team went down 4-1 to Syria’s Wihdeh in the first leg. Ahli, playing in the AFC Cup for the first time, finished third in AFC Cup Group A and were eliminated from the first round.

Last season, Wihdat retained the league title for their third consecutive and 15th overall time since they moved up to the Professional League in 1975. Faisali beat Wihdat to clinch the Super Cup, while it was Ahli who made history when they beat Shabab Urdun to win their first Jordan Cup final. Ahli’s achievement came after years in the backstage. Despite being a long-time veteran and founder of the game in the Kingdom, Ahli were relegated to Division 1 in 2004, however, they made it back to the Pro League in 2014, finishing fifth in 2015 and third in 2016.