Jordan Pro League on break as Wihdat, Ramtha eye title

AMMAN — Jordan Professional Football League (Pro League) teams head into a two week break as the national teams agenda comes into focus with two more weeks left in the leading football competition.

As Week 19 ended, Ramtha stumbled in their 2-0 loss to former champs Faisali and could not take advantage of closest rival Wihdat’s 0-0 draw with Hussein that gave the titleholders the lead for now. 

Salt remained third after a 1-1 draw with Sahab as Faisali climbed to fourth and Shabab Urdun went up a spot after drawing 1-1 with Jazira. Aqaba beat Ma’an 2-0 while Jalil beat Baqa’a 2-1. 

Last week, Shabab Urdun’s 3-2 win over Wihdat gave Ramtha the chance to fight for the lead. Ma’an and Jalil are now likely to be the one of the teams to be relegated together with Baqa’a.

Faisali and Ramtha led the standings in most of Leg 1. Jazira, who led throughout the league in the past two years seem to have abandoned the fight for title and find themselves midway through the standings. 

This season, the competition has witnessed inconsistent performances which also saw the national team eliminated from 2022 World Cup qualifiers, and now having to go through another stage of qualifying to get to the 2023 Asian Cup. The squad is now preparing for the FIFA Arab Cup.

So far in local competitions, Jalil, overcame Wihdat to win the 34th Jordan Football Association (JFA) Shield. Wihdat won their 14th title when they beat one-time winners Jazira in 38th Jordan Super Cup.

In the Jordan Cup, Wihdat, Hussein, Faisali have reached semis. Salt who were busy with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup matches played Ma’an Monday evening to determine the last semifinalist. Salt, who played their inaugural AFC Cup, were eliminated by Kuwait FC in the semifinals of the West Asia Zone while Faisali were knocked out in the group stages. Wihdat played Group D of the Asian Champions League, but were knocked out in the first round. 

Last season, Wihdat won their 17th league title while Jazira finished runner-up, leaving Ramtha third and former champs Faisali settled for fifth after Salt. Sarih dropped alongside eight-time league champ veterans Ahli, who were also relegated last decade, but came back to win the Jordan Cup in 2015 and played in the AFC. Jalil and Baqa’a joined the 12-club Pro League this season.  Wihdat also won their 1oth JFA Shield. Faisali overcame Jazira to win their 17th Jordan Super Cup as the Jordan Cup was scrapped.