Wihdat look forward to AFC Champions League

AMMAN — Despite going down 1-0 to rivals Faisali in their Jordan Professional Football League match on Friday, Wihdat are eagerly awaiting regional events with the draw for the preliminary round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League 2015-2016, set for December 10.

The Jordanian champions were eliminated in the preliminary round in the last edition earlier this year.

As league champs, Wihdat were Jordan’s representative in the premier Asian competition. In 2014, Shabab Urdun were eliminated by Bahrain’s Al Hidd in the preliminary round as well.

Earlier this year, reigning Jordan League and Cup champs Wihdat and Jazira were knocked out of the AFC Cup Round of 16.

Wihdat again lost to AFC Cup titleholders Kuwait’s Qadissieh 1-0 — the same team that beat them 1-0 in the AFC Champions League.

Wihdat were hoping to advance and win the AFC Cup for the first time after taking part eight times. Jazira, who finished runner-up in the league and participated in the event for the first time after two-time AFC Cup champs and Faisali declined, lost to former AFC Cup champs Syria’s Jeish 1-0.

Last season, Jordan Cup champs That Ras exited the Round of 16 in their AFC participation, while former AFC Cup champs Shabab Urdun exited in Round 1. 

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