Wihdat, Jazira poised to play AFC Cup Round 2

AMMAN — Wihdat and Jazira are looking forward to Asian Football Confederation (AFC)  Cup Stage 6 matches kicking off on Tuesday to advance to the second round of the event after impressive scoring ahead of their final preliminary round matches.

Wihdat, who earlier this week won the Jordan Professional League title for the 14th time, now top Group A and host Oman's Nahda in their final match. Wihdat had scored a 3-0 win over Nahda in Leg 1. The League champs topped the group after they beat Lebanese hosts Salam Zgharta 3-0 after an earlier 5-1 win. They also held Syria's Wihda 1-1 after losing 1-0 in Leg 1. 

On the other hand, Group B leaders Jazira play their last match against Iraq's Shurta in Doha, Qatar.  After two-time AFC Cup champs and Faisali declined, Jazira started the event with a streak of 1-1 draws with Bahrain's Hidd, Shurta and Palestine's Wadi Al Ness. Jazira took the group lead after they beat Wadi Al Ness 2-0 and Hidd 1-0.  Jazira are on a high note after they overcame Ramtha for 2nd place in the Jordan Professional League. 

Wihdat have never won the AFC Cup in the past seven times while it is the first time for Jazira. Earlier this season, Wihdat exited the AFC Champions League losing 1-0 to ACL and AFC Cup titleholders Kuwait's Qadissieh.

The AFC cup has grouped 32 clubs from across the continent, competing in eight groups with the top two from each group going to the Round of 16. Last season, first time AFC Cup competitors and Jordan Cup champs That Ras exited the Round of 16 while former AFC Cup champs Shabab Urdun exited in Round 1. They were also eliminated by Bahrain's Hidd in their preliminary round of the AFC Champions League.

The second-tier Asian club competition was won by Syria's Jeish in its inaugural edition in 2004. Jordan's Faisali won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, and Shabab Urdun in 2007.