Jordan Cup quarterfinals set to kick off

AMMAN — The Jordan Cup quarterfinal round kicks off today as the second competition of the season calendar draws closer to its end.

In the Round of 16, 10 pro league team, four First Division teams and two Second Division teams battled it out. Matches now include: Aqaba vs Faisali, Ahli vs Wihdat, Manshieh vs, Ramtha and Um Qutain vs Karmel. They will play two legs with the winners advancing into the semis.

Major teams dropping out included titleholders Jazira, Shabab Urdun, Salt and Baqa'a. In the earlier first round which included 32  teams, pro league teams Hussein and That Ras were eliminated.

Since the Cup started in 1980, there have been 37 editions with Faisali winning a record 19 time. Wihdat  has won 1o times, Jazira, Ramtha and Shabab Urdun have each won twice, while Arabi, That Ras and Ahli have won once.

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 (JFA) 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 was eliminated from the 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. Shabab Urdun was eliminated in 2014.  Jazira and Wihdat are playing the 16th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup.