League resumes with Jazira in the lead

AMMAN — The Jordan Professional Football League resumes on Thursday after a break that included the national team’s participation in the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.

The Kingdom was eliminated in the Round of 16 play and Qatar won the title for the first time.

The league break gave coaches a chance to reassess strategy and work on their line-ups. Jazira have a slim lead after losing 1-0 to Faisali who are fourth. Salt are third and Wihdat fifth. 

During the first leg, Jazira maintained their lead like the past two seasons, ahead of usual champs Wihdat and Faisali. 

The 2018/19 football season kicked off with league champs Wihdat beating Jordan Cup champs Jazira in the 36th Jordan Super Cup — the first major competition on the annual football calendar.

This week, league titleholders Wihdat lost to Kuwait Club 3-2 in the 2018/19 AFC Champions League. Jordanian teams have never 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 Shabab Urdun were eliminated in 2014.

Since the league kicked off in 1944, Faisali are 33- time record winners, while Wihdat were crowned champs 16 times since they joined the league in 1980.

Jazira lost two competition finals conceding the 35th Jordan Super Cup to Faisali and the Jordan Football Association Shield final to Wihdat. Jazira also made club history by winning the 38th Jordan Cup title which they last won in 1984.