Jordan Cup kicks off Round of 16 matches

By Aline Bannayan - Apr 17,2019 - Last updated at Apr 17,2019

AMMAN — The Jordan Cup kicks off its Round of 16 matches on Thursday with First and Second Division teams aiming to advance and have a shot at the title of the second competition on the season calendar.

The Round of 16 now groups 10 Jordan Professional Football League teams, four First Division teams and two Second Division teams. Thursdays’ matches include Salt vs. Karmel and Sarih vs. Um Qutain. On Friday Wihdat vs. Yarmouk, Jazira vs. Ahli and Aqaba vs. Balama play. Matches conclude Saturday with Faisali vs. Khaldieh, Shabab Urdun vs. Manshieh and Baqaa vs Ramtha.

League teams Hussein and That Ras were eliminated by Second Division teams Khaldieh and Um Qutain in the knockout first round which included 32 teams.

Since the Cup started in 1980, there have been 37 editions with Faisali being record 19-time champions. Wihdat won 10 times, Jazira, Ramtha and Shabab Urdun twice each, while Arabi, That Ras and Ahli won once each.

Last year, Wihdat won the league for a record 16th time as 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.

Regionally, Jazira were eliminated from Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup west Asia zone final and failed to reach the continent’s final. Faisali bowed out in the event’s semifinals. Likewise, Ramtha were eliminated by Tunisia’s Etoile Sportive Du Sahel in the preliminary round of the Arab Club Champions Cup.

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 eliminated early in the 2018/19 AFC Champions League losing to Kuwait Club 3-2. Jordanian teams have never before made it past the ACL preliminary round. In the 2017/18 edition, Faisali were eliminated, while Wihdat were knocked out in 2017, 2016 and 2015 and now in 2019, and Shabab Urdun were eliminated in 2014. Jazira and Wihdat are playing for the 16th AFC Cup.