Ramtha take on Wihdat in JFA Shield final

AMMAN  — Ramtha will take on Wihdat on Friday in the final of the 33rd Jordan Football Association Shield — the first of the 2020 football season competitions.

Wihdat will be aiming for their record 10th Shield title, while Ramtha, who have not won a major competition recently, are five time Shield champs, with the last one in 2001.

Wihdat manager Ziyad Shilbayeh underlined his team’s readiness to be back at forefront of the competitions after they conceded the Jordan Professional Football League to Faisali last year. “We are ready, and the team is in the best form possible. Wihdat will be back to win titles this season,” he was quoted as saying.

Coach Abdullah Abu Zameh told the press after training. “I have the highest respect for Ramtha’s coach [Issa Turk] and his team., and I hope fans will enjoy a competitive match,” he said.

“My squad is ready and we hope the Shield will be the first of our titles this season,” he added.

Wihdat reached the final after they beat Shabab Urdun 2-1, while Ramtha ousted Sarih 2-1 in the semifinal.

Ramtha manager Abdulla Awakeh underlined that his team was aiming to get back into winning competitions and was ready for the match. Ramtha last won the Jordan Cup in 1990-1991 and the Shield in 2001.

Twelve league teams played the first round in three groups with the top team in each group and the best overall second placed team advancing to the semifinal. Sarih topped group A, Ramtha topped Group B, and Shabab Urdun topped group C while Wihdat advanced as best second place team. Leading teams eliminated in the group rounds included league reigning champs Faisali who lost to Sarih, as well as Jazira who lost to Shabab Urdun.

As the season gets into full swing, the Super Cup will next see league and Jordan Cup champs Faisali play Cup runner-up Jazira on February 28.

Last season, Faisali were crowned league champs and combined it with their 20th Jordan Cup title. Jazira were second and Wihdat third in the league. Wihdat beat Jazira to win the 36th Jordan Super Cup. 

Wihdat were the last winners of the Shield competition in the 2017/2018 season. The competition was not held last year.

Looking back at the history of the Shield tournament, Wihdat are a record nine time winners, Faisali seven, Ramtha five, Hussein three, Jazira, Amman and Shabab Urdun twice each, and Kufrsoum and Yarmouk once each. Hussein were finalists seven times. Amman, have since scrapped football while Qadissieh were relegated and have since merged with Shabab Urdun.