Jazira, Faisali aim for Jordan League title

 AMMAN — It is the final week of the Jordan Professional Football League and the title is up for grabs between veterans Jazira and Faisali.

Three-time champs Jazira were last league champs in 1956, while Faisali have been winners for a record 32 times, but have lost their aptitude in the past three years when Wihdat dominated. For fans of both teams, but especially for Jazira it is a vital week.

All Week 22 matches will all be played on Saturday. Jazira and Faisali are tied with 43 points each. Titleholders Wihdat and Manshieh have nearly settled for 3rd and fourth.

Last week, Jazira beat Manshieh 1-0 to maintain top spot ahead of their match against Ahli who beat Sahab 3-1. Faisali on the other hand beat Baqa’a 2-0 to keep second place and next have an easier task against Sahab. If both teams tie in overall points they will play a deciding match for the title on May 9.

Wihdat were held 1-1 with Sarih to stay third ahead of their match against Hussein. Manshieh will next play Ramtha who beat That Ras 2-1.

Shabab Urdun lost 2-1 to Hussein and are now 8th ahead of their match with Baqa’a who are struggling to keep their spot in the Pro League, while That Ras will play Sarih with the same concerns in mind.

Manshieh, who joined the pro league alongside Sahab, have joined the top four while at the other end of standings, Baqa’a, a usual top five team, former Jordan Cup champ That Ras, Sahab and Sarih are now all playing to avoid relegation of the bottom two.

Jazira’s Syrian pro Mardig Mardigian has maintained his scoring talent and leads the top scorers list with 14 goals followed by Ahli’s Haj Malek with nine and Wihdat’s Munther Abu Amara with eight.

Regionally, Wihdat have made it to the Round of 16 in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup after scoring a 3-2 win over Bahrain’s Muharraq to lead Group C.

Wihdat were held 1-1 by Lebanon’s Nijmeh and with Muharraq in the first leg. In earlier matches, Wihdat were held 1-1 by Oman’s Saham and beat them 2-1, and scored a 1-0 win over Nijmeh.

Ahli, playing in the AFC Cup for the first time, finished third in Group A after they were held 1-1 with Iraq’s Zawra’a. They lost their qualifying chances after earlier losing 2-1 to Syria’s Jeish. They earlier beat Oman’s Suweiq 2-1 and were held 0-0. They also held Zawra’a 1-1 and lost 1-0 to Jeish.

Earlier in the season, Wihdat exited the Asian Champions League.

Faisali have not won the league in the past four years and are eyeing their 33rd record title to secure a local title.

Ahli won the first major competition on the 2016/17 football calendar, when they beat reigning league champs 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. If a league decider is not needed midweek, the Jordan Cup semis are set to see Wihdat play Faisali while Ramtha meet 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 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.