Jazira, Faisali to represent Jordan in AFC Cup

AMMAN — Wihdat and Jazira kick off the 16th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup when they play in Groups A and B of the second-tier Asian club competition kicking off around the continent on Monday.

Wihdat will host Lebanon’s Nijmeh in Group A, which also includes Palestine’s Hilal Quds and Syria’s Jeish while Jazira play Bahrain’s Nijmeh in an away match in Group B which includes AFC Cup titleholders Kuwait Club and Syria’s Ittihad.

The top teams from the three competing Asian groups in addition to the best second placed team will move to the semifinal round of the zone with the winner advancing to the eventual competition final.

The AFC Cup was previously won three times by Jordanian teams: Faisali won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, and Shabab Urdun in 2007. Other Jordanian teams competing in previous editions include Ramtha, Hussein, That Ras and Ahli. Kuwait SC and the Iraqi Air Force Club are AFC Cup record winners having been crowned champs three times each.

Earlier this year, reigning Jordan League champs Wihdat lost to Kuwait Club in the 2018/19 AFC Champions League. Jordanian teams have never before made it past the ACL preliminary round. In the 2017/18 edition, Faisali were eliminated, while Wihdat were also knocked out in 2017, 2016 and 2015, and Shabab Urdun in 2014.

Last season, Jazira were eliminated from AFC Cup West Asia zone final and failed to reach the continent’s final while Faisali bowed out earlier 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. In the AFC Champions League Faisali was eliminated by Uzbekistan’s Nasaf Qarshi and failed to reach the group stages of Asia’s elite club competition.

In 2017, Jordanian league champs Faisali finished runner up to Tunisia’s Tarajji in the Arab Clubs Championships after an impressive performance, which included two wins over Egyptian veterans Ahli. Ahli played the AFC Cup for the first time and Wihdat reached the West Asia zone semifinals.

The local 2018/19 football season saw Wihdat beating Jordan Cup champs Jazira in the 36th Jordan Super Cup. The league is still under way with five teams in possible contention for the title.

AFC Cup Champions list

2004 Jeish (Syria)

2005 Faisali (Jordan)

2006 Faisali (Jordan)

2007 Shabab Urdun (Jordan)

2008 Muharraq (Bahrain)

2009 Kuwait SC (Kuwait)

2010 Ittihad Aleppo (Syria)

2011 Nasaf Qarshi (Uzb)

2012 Kuwait SC (Kuwait)

2013 Kuwait SC (Kuwait)

2014 Qadissieh (Kuwait)

2015 Johor Darol Tazim (Malaysia)

2016 Air Force Club (Iraq)

2017 Air Force Club (Iraq)

2018 Air Force Club (Iraq)