Jordan Cup semifinals kick off

By Aline Bannayan - May 23,2019 - Last updated at May 23,2019

AMMAN — The Jordan Cup semifinals kick off on Friday with the title match of the third competition on the season calendar scheduled for next weekend.

Both leg one matches of the semis are at 11pm, with Ramtha taking on Wihdat at King Abdullah Stadium while Karmel will be playing Faisali at the Amman International Stadium before both teams face off in leg two on Monday. The winners will advance to the title match on May 31.

In the quarters, Faisali ousted Aqaba, Wihdat eliminated Ahli, Karmel ousted Um Qutain and Ramtha eliminated Manshieh.

First and Second Division teams fought out the event as Pro League teams Hussein and That Ras were one of the first eliminated by Second Division teams Khaldieh and Um Qutain in the knockout Round One which included 32 teams.

Since the Cup started in 1980, there have been 37 editions with Faisali a record 19-time champions. Wihdat won 10 times, Jazira, Ramtha and Shabab Urdun twice each, while Arabi, That Ras and Ahli won once each.

The 2018/19 football season kicked off with league champs Wihdat beating Jordan Cup champs Jazira in the 36th Jordan Super Cup. Faisali won the Jordan Professional Football League, leaving Jazira second and Wihdat third.

Regionally, Jazira and Wihdat have reached the semis of the 16th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup. Wihdat were eliminated early in the 2018/19 AFC Champions League (ACL) and Jordanian teams have never before made it past the ACL preliminary round. Faisali were eliminated in the 2017/18 edition, while Wihdat were knocked out in 2017, 2016 and 2015 and now in 2019, and Shabab Urdun in 2014.

Last season, 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 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 were eliminated from AFC Cup west Asia zone 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.