Super Cup kicks off football season on Friday

AMMAN — The local football season kicks off on Friday with the Jordan Professional League (JPL) champs Wihdat facing Jordan Cup champs Faisali in the 33rd Super Cup — the first major competition of the 2015/16 football calendar.

Wihdat are upbeat and hope the return of star Abdullah Theeb and others will boost the ambitious line-up who are now led by Syrian coach Imad Khankan who replaced Abdullah Abu Zamaa.

Wihdat and Faisali have played 12 Super Cups with Wihdat winning six. Any time the top two rivals play, even if not for a title, it’s a match much anticipated by football fans. 

“We hope the match will be a good start to the season and look forward to a season football fans will enjoy,” Faisali starter Baha Abdul Rahman said. 

With the winner getting JD15,000, Wihdat’s Mohammad Dmeiri underlined “We will aim for a win, but any match has one winner and we urge fans to keep that in mind and work together towards a positive season.” 

Last year, Wihdat won the 32nd Super Cup in addition to their 14th League title. Faisali finished at a disappointing 7th place in the League, but later managed to beat That Ras to win the 35th Jordan Cup title. 

The JPL is set to kick off on September 12 while the Jordan Cup will see First Division teams play the Preliminary round starting September 4, following which the top four teams will join the 12 JPL teams in the knockout Round of 16 starting September 25.

The Super Cup has been won by Faisali a record 14 times, out of 22 final appearances, Wihdat 12 times, Ramtha and Shabab Urdun twice each while Jazira, Hussein won once each.

Super Cup Record

(Runner-up in parenthesis)

1981 — Faisali (Wihdat)

1982 — Faisali (Ramtha)

1983 — Ramtha (Wihdat)

1984 — Faisali (Ramtha)

1985 — Jazira (Amman)

1986 — Faisali (Wihdat)

1987 — Faisali (Arabi)

1988 — not held

1989 — Wihdat (Faisali)

1990 — Ramtha (Faisali)

1991 — Faisali (Ramtha)

1992 — Wihdat (Ramtha)

1993 — Faisali (Wihdat)

1994 — Faisali (Ramtha) 

1995 — Faisali (Wihdat)

1996 — Faisali (Wihdat)

1997 — Wihdat (Ramtha)

1998 — Wihdat (Ramtha)

1999 — not held

2000 — Wihdat (Faisali)

2001 — Wihdat (Faisali)

2002 — Faisali (Hussein)

2003 — Hussein (Faisali)

2004 — Faisali (Hussein)

2005 — Wihdat (Faisali)

2006 — Faisali (Shabab Urdun)

2007 — Shabab Urdun (Wihdat)

2008 — Wihdat (Faisali)

2009 — Wihdat (Shabab Urdun)

2010 — Wihdat (Faisali)

2011 — Wihdat (Manshieh)

2012 — Faisali (Manshieh)

2013 — Shabab Urdun (That Ras)

2014 — Wihdat (Baqaa)