Sports

AMMAN — The Basketball League’s final week promises interesting matches for fans as titleholders Riyadi lead, while Awdeh has big ambitions with six matches remaining.

Leg 1 of the final round ended on Saturday evening with Riyadi scoring a vital 67-61 win over Orthodoxi. Riyadi held onto the top spot as they also had earlier beaten Awdeh 78-69.

After leading the first round, it was Orthodoxi’s second consecutive defeat after they lost 72-62 to Awdeh earlier in the week. 

Awdeh are now second after beating Kufr Youba 82-56. Their line-up was boosted by the signing of Mahmoud Abdeen midway through the current stage of the event. 

The highlight of the final week of the event will be Awdeh’s match against Riyadi on February 21. The match is likely to determine standings and eventual champion ahead of Orthodoxi vs Awdeh on February 25 and Riyadi vs Orthodoxi on February 28. 

In the first round of the competition, Riyadi only lost to Orthodoxi as the top four were decided while the bottom four battled it out with Jalil, Anjara, Hurrieh and Deir Abi Saied contesting the relegation play-offs. There are no import players this year and the competition format has no best-of-five play-offs for the title.

In the 2015-2016 season, Riyadi-Aramex were crowned league champs — a title which had eluded them for 20 years when they beat titleholders Orthodoxi to win the best-of-seven play-offs 4-0. Riyadi-Aramex had last won the league in 1997 by then Jazira-Aramex team (whose players later on formed Riyadi’s line-up). Hurrieh were third last year sealing the best-of-five play-offs 3-2 against Awdeh with teams like Applied Science University, Ittihad, and Wihdat pulling out of the competition.

Orthodoxi who won their record 23rd league title in the 2014-15 season, last year won the Jordan Cup. 

Former league and cup champs Applied Science University (ASU) and Ittihad Schools have pulled out of competitions over differences with the Jordan Basketball Federation, and players have been dispersed over the rest of clubs.

The Basketball League which started in 1952 has had 58 editions with eight teams crowned champion. It was cancelled in three seasons and discontinued once. Orthodoxi have won 23 times, Ahli 21, Zain (Fastlink) six times, ASU four times, Jazira-Aramex twice, while Riyadi, Urdun, Watany and the Electricity Co. won once each.

Standings

AMMAN — Jordan Cup titleholders Ahli will play an away match against Syria’s Jeish on Monday, while reigning Jordan Professional Football League champs Wihdat will host Lebanon’s Nijmeh on Tuesday, as Round 1 of the 14th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup kicks off.

Ahli will represent Jordan in the AFC Cup for the first time. They were drawn to play in Group A alongside Jeish, Iraq’s Zawra and Oman’s Suweiq, while Wihdat will play in Group C alongside Nijmeh, Bahrain’s Muharraq and Oman’s Saham.

Beside aspirations for the league title, Wihdat hope to advance in the AFC which they have never won before. With clubs from five Asian Zones competing in eight groups, the top two from each group will move to the Round of 16. This year, prize money is $1 million for the winner and $500,000 for the runner-up. The event was previously won three times by Jordanian teams: Faisali won titles in 2005 and 2006, and Shabab Urdun in 2007.

The local season opened with Ahli making history when they beat reigning league champs Wihdat 2-1 to win the 34th Super Cup — the first major competition on the 2016/17 football calendar. However, Ahli have been struggling in the league and were eliminated from the Jordan Cup this season.

Wihdat reached the Jordan Cup semis and are now second in the league. They have been league champs for the past three seasons, and won the title for the 15th time last year since moving up to the Professional League in 1975.

This season, Wihdat aspirations for being among the continent’s top tier teams were dashed early when they were eliminated from the preliminary round of 2017 AFC Asian Champions League. Although they beat AFC Cup runner-up India’s Bengaluru FC 2-1 in the preliminary round, they lost 3-0 to the UAE’s Wihda in the play-off thus failing to advance to Round 1 of the prestigious Asian competition and instead moving to the continent’s second-tier club event — the AFC Cup. Had Wihdat advanced in the ACL Jazira would have joined Ahli in the AFC Cup.

Wihdat have taken part in AFC Cup nine times making it to the semis in 2004 and 2005 and out in the first round in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2011, they made it to the semis and in 2012 to the quarters. They were also out of the Round of 16 in 2015 and 2016. Apart from previous champs Faisali and Shabab Urdun, other Jordanian teams competing included Jazira, Ramtha, Hussein and That Ras. In 2016, Jordanian clubs were absent from advanced stages of Asian competitions as Wihdat and Faisali were knocked out of the AFC Cup Round of 16. 

In 2015, Wihdat and Jazira were also out in Round of 16 with Jazira, who finished runner-up in the league, participating in the event after two-time AFC Cup champs and Faisali declined. In 2014, Jordan Cup champs That Ras exited the Round of 16 in their inaugural AFC participation, while former AFC Cup champs Shabab Urdun exited in Round 1. 

AFC Cup Champions list

2004Jeish (Syria)

2005Faisali (Jordan)

2006 Faisali (Jordan)

2007Shabab Urdun (Jordan)

2008Muharraq (Bahrain)

2009Kuwait SC (Kuwait)

2010Ittihad Aleppo (Syria)

2011Nasaf Qarshi (Uzb)

2012Kuwait SC (Kuwait)

2013Kuwait SC (Kuwait)

2014Qadissieh (Kuwait)

2015Johor Darol Tazim (Malaysia)

2016Air Force Club (Iraq)

AMMAN — The Jordan Professional Football League resumed on Thursday as Week 13 kicked off with teams making big changes on position midway through the standings.

Jazira now only have a one point lead atop the standings after their 1-1 draw with Faisali who dropped to fourth. Jazira is scheduled to play Shabab Urdun on Friday. The latter scored a vital 2-0 win over Sahab last week to move up to fifth, while Faisali next play Ramtha who are 8th after a goalless draw with Ahli.

Wihdat who were held 0-0 with last placed Baqa’a next play 9th placed Sahab. Manshieh who moved up to third after a 2-0 win over That Ras next play Ahli and Sarih, who held Hussein 1-1, next take on Baqa’a while Hussein go up against That Ras.

Manshieh who joined the pro league this season with Sahab have tipped the balance and are now in third place. Fans are unhappy with Ramtha, Ahli and Shabab Urdun further down the standings with inconsistent results. Former Jordan Cup champ That Ras are going through financial strains and are now in the relegation zone together with Baqa’a who are usually among the upper half of standings. Jazira’s Syrian pro Mardig Mardigian still leads the top scorers list with nine goals. 

Wihdat are looking to win their fourth consecutive and 16th overall title, while Faisali have not won the league in the past four years and eyeing their 33rd record title.

Ahli won the first major competition on the 2016/17 football calendar, making history when they beat reigning league champs Wihdat 2-1 to win the 34th Super Cup. In the Jordan Football Association Shield — back on the calendar after four years — Shabab Urdun scored a major 5-1 win over Faisali. It was Shabab Urdun’s second Shield title after they first won in 2007.

In the Jordan Cup, four teams had made it to the semis in which Wihdat will face Faisali, while Ramtha play Jazira on May 12 and 16 before playing the final on May 20.

Last season, Wihdat retained the title with Faisali, Ahli, Jazira and Shabab Urdun in top five spots. It was Wihdat’s third consecutive and 15th league title since they moved up to the Professional League in 1975. Faisali beat Wihdat to clinch the Super Cup while it was Ahli, who after years in the backstage, beat Shabab Urdun to win their first Jordan Cup final.

AMMAN — Orthodoxi play holders Riyadi while Awdeh play Kufr Youba in another decisive day in the Basketball League play-offs on Saturday. Orthodoxi led Round 1 of the competition with an unbeaten record.

As the play-offs started, they beat Kufr Youba 82-64 while Riyadi beat Awdeh 78-69. However this week, standings tilted as Awdeh scored a big upset beating Orthodoxi 72-62 while Riyadi scored a 79-62 win over Kufr Youba.

Awdeh were aided by the signing of Mahmoud Abdeen on the line-up, the star who lead the national team to a third place finish in West Asia earlier this month.

Earlier in the competition, titleholders Riyadi only lost to Orthodoxi as the top four were decided while the bottom four battled it out with Jalil, Anjara, Hurrieh and Deir Abi Saied contesting the relegation play-offs.

LeBron James may take on a heavier workload down the stretch to make up for the absence of All-Star Kevin Love, and the added wear and tear could prove costly in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ quest to repeat as NBA champions.

Love will miss six weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Tuesday and while his injury will not sink the Cavaliers it could cost them the Eastern Conference’s top seed and make their road to the NBA Finals a little tougher.

It’s the latest injury for a Cavaliers team already playing without injured starting shooting guard JR Smith, but not a situation the team are unfamiliar with.

“It’s just our road, every season one of our key guys gets hurt,” James told reporters before his team’s shootaround in Minnesota, where the Cavaliers play later on Tuesday.

“This year has probably been the worst out of all years, having our starting 2 guard out for so long and then having our All-Star power forward out for an extended period of time. Just next man up.”

The Cavaliers (37-16) have a two-game lead over a surging Boston in the East, and might need to lean on James much more if they want to lock up the top seed, which would guarantee them homecourt advantage until at least the NBA Finals should they get that far.

But having James healthy for the play-offs is the team’s top priority and likely only hope of winning a championship, which means they will have to quickly sort out how to get by during Love’s absence.

“We can’t run LeBron into the ground because Kevin’s out,” said Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue. “Guys have to step up and be ready to play.”

James, 32, is already averaging a team-high 37.6 minutes per game this season for a Cavaliers team that cannot seem to get by for long stretches without the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player on the court.

So, with 29 games left in the regular season, the Cavaliers may ultimately decide to capitulate the East’s top seed in favour of keeping James fresh for the play-offs.

But James, who has sat out only three games this season, said any extra workload would not be a burden.

“I’ll rest when I retire,” said James. “As long as I’m in the line-up, we’ve got a chance. We’re good. Kev is out for an extended period of time. JR’s been out. But I’m in the line-up, obviously we’ve got a chance against anybody.”

AMMAN — Jordan will send two skiers to the 8th Asian Winter Games taking place in Sapporo, Japan, from February 19-26, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

Following an invitation from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), experienced skiers Sara Sukhtian and Suhail Azzam will compete in the giant slalom and the slalom respectively after stepping in at the eleventh hour.

 As well as ensuring Jordan’s participation in this important multi-sport event, their entry qualifies the Kingdom for funding from the OCA, which will in turn be pumped back in to local sport.

“On behalf of the Jordan Olympic Committee [JOC] I would like to thank the OCA and the Sapporo Local Organising Committee for presenting us with this opportunity,” said Nasser Majali, JOC secretary general.

“I would also like to thank Sara and Suhail who are now training with our full support. They are opening the door for Jordan to hopefully build a long-term relationship with winter sports and I urge any other Jordanians, wherever they may be in the world, to get in touch if they too are serious winter sports enthusiasts and feel they could step up with our support to international competition.”

The Asian sporting world will be in Japan for the Games, enabling Majali to further strengthen Jordan’s relationship with the international community through a series of meetings on the side lines of the event.

Jordan has competed in the Asian Winter Games previously in 2007 and 2011 when members of the USA-based Badr El Din family took part. The 2017 delegation will have a more local feel with Sukhtian based in Amman and Azzam based in Dubai.

AMMAN — Fourteen-year-old Qusai Habboub has big ambitions, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service. 

Like any talented teenager who is showing plenty of promise in their chosen sport, Qusai wants to win. But this fencer wants to win big!

He came onto the sporting spotlight in Jordan last month after winning a Junior bronze at the highly competitive Mediterranean Fencing Championships in Marseille, France for the flore competition.

It was a fantastic achievement and one that has only made him hungry for more.

“I trained very hard before the championship because I was really determined to be in the top three, and I did it,” said Qusai.

“This was only the second international championships that I have taken part in so to get a medal was fantastic. The competition was of a very high standard and I have really benefited from this experience, especially as France is one of the top countries in the world for fencing.”

Qusai is developing under the watchful eye of Awdah Al Faouri who the youngster shares the credit with.

“He always advises me, and tries to improve my skills along with my teammates,” said the youngster, who has been playing the sport since he was just four after watching his sister compete.

Of course being a top level young sportsman or women means striking the right balance between the books and training. It is refreshing to hear Qusai explain how the two can work hand-in-hand.

“I try never to miss a training session but at the same time I care about my studying, which is just as important and thankfully I can balance between. This is a challenge that has to be met.”

Many federations in Jordan are now looking ahead towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where Qusai hopes to be. If not there, then the next edition in 2024.

“Participating in the Olympic Games is a dream that I will chase,” he said. “It would be the ultimate moment to be able to represent my country in front of the whole world, but it takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice.”

Qusai has a chance to prove himself on the international circuit once again later this month when he joins his teammates for the Asian Fencing Championships in Bangkok from February 24. A strong showing there and he will be a step closer to making his Olympic dreams come true.

AMMAN — Jordan finished the West Asian Table Tennis Championships with four gold, four silver and five bronze medals after a glorious final day in Aqaba, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

Following team golds in the U-15 boys and girls team categories earlier in the weekend, Jordan picked up golds in both the singles for women and youth categories.

Sewar Abu Yaman beat her teammate Bara’ Al Wedyan 3-0 in the final of women’s, while Tina Khouri took the U-18 female title, beating Iraq’s Asma’ Ali 3-2.

The three other silver medals were won by the men’s and the youth women’s teams as well as Batoul Al Rashdan in the U-15 girls.

Jordan’s bronze medals were picked up by Tina Khouri (U-15 girls), Farah Khater (women’s), Tayma’a Abu Yaman (women’s), Yara Al Dimese (U-18 female) and Batoul Al Rashdan (U-18 girls).

The tournament was organised by the Jordan Table Tennis Federation and welcomed 70 players from Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Bahrain, the UAE, Iraq and Jordan.

LONDON — Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino accused his players of failing to deal with the pressure of a Premier League title race after they were outplayed in a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday.

The Londoners were lucky to be only two goals down at halftime at Anfield as Liverpool brought Tottenham’s nine-game unbeaten run in the league to a halt.

It was the manner of the defeat — only second-placed Tottenham’s third of the season — that was most concerning though as they appeared overwhelmed by the occasion.

Victory would have cut Chelsea’s lead to six points, but defeat had Pochettino conceding the title race.

“They were better than us and fully deserved to win. We started the game very sloppy,” Pochettino, whose side led the chase of Leicester City last season, said.

“It is difficult to understand. I am very disappointed in our first-half display. Second half we reached their level, but it is really late. The whole team were poor.

“If you show like today that you cannot cope with the pressure to play to win the league, then it is difficult to challenge and fight for the Premier League.

“In the first 45 minutes you saw a team that is not ready to fight for the Premier League.”

Goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris, whose saves spared Tottenham a drubbing, made no excuses.

“It’s a big disappointment because we expected more today, but Liverpool were much better. We lost the battle,” he said.

With a two week gap before their next league game, at home to Stoke City, Pochettino said it was time for his team to take stock and return to maintain their top-four challenge.

“A reality check is important sometimes. We need to find a way to change,” the Argentine said.

Tottenham, who managed only two shots at goal on Saturday, remain in second place with 50 points, the same as north London rivals Arsenal, one ahead of Liverpool and Manchester City and two better than Manchester United. 

AMMAN — The Dead Sea Ultramarathon is to return and continue to be sponsored by LG Electronics, according to Run Jordan, the sole entity dedicated to bringing together different marathon events and races in Jordan under one umbrella.

In 2016, the Ultramarathon went through some serious changes that required it to be rescheduled to 2017.

“Run Jordan has opened registration for all participants and we expect a host of local and foreign runners to take part in the event which will be focused on the Dead Sea area as a place that enjoys touristic and sporting appeal,” Lina Kurd, Run Jordan general manager told The Jordan Times said.

“For many years the marathon was linked with charity work especially with the Society for Care of Neurological Patients and we are proud to be part of this drive,” she added.

The marathon consists of three events: Ultra Marathon, Half Marathon and the 10k Fun Run.

Registration for the April 14th event and the Children’s race April 7th is open to all.

“LG Electronics started sponsoring Dead Sea Ultramarathon in 1993 and today it signed with Run Jordan for sponsoring the coming next five years starting with the marathon’s 23rd event which will be held in April 14th,” noted Kurd.

“We are really excited to have LG onboard and looking forward to starting working on the coming event in which LG will assist in making the Ultramarathon a global event through attracting world champions and presenting financial prizes to winners,” she added. 

The marathon enjoys strong popularity among runners and families, and in 2015 a record number of over 7,000 runners took part in the event which saw Jordan runner Mithqal Abbadi clocking 2h58m19s to win the ultra-marathon 50km.

The Dead Sea Ultramarathon acquired the International Association of Athletics Federations Bronze Label status after changes to the route of both the 50km and the 21km races were made.

In a statement, LG Electronics said that they are proud of being part of the event: “We consider ourselves partners to the Ultramarathon, which also promotes sport and a healthy lifestyle and works towards transforming Jordan to a sport tourism sector.”