(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN - The Jordan Cup title is the last competition on the local 2023/2024 football calendar before focus switches to the resumption of World Cup qualifiers in less than two weeks.
But before that, Hussein Irbid will be the talk of observers and analysts after they took home the coveted Professional Football League title for the first time following an impressive season, which saw them lose only one match. Hussein had to wait to the last stage of the competition, to be able to move the trophy out of the capital to Irbid.
“My team deserved the win. They gave it all they have and earned a hard-fought title,” head coach Jamal Mahmoud was quoted following Hussein's 2-1 come-from behind win over Sahab Saturday evening which gave them a two-point edge over Faisali who beat Shabab Urdun 6-2 and would have retained their title in case Hussein drew or lost.
Wihdat came in third after beating Aqaba 1-0 as the latter finished sixth while Ramtha finished fourth after beating Jalil 4-0 as the latter were relegated alongside Sahab.
In other matches, Salt managed a spot in the top five although they lost 1-0 to Mughayer Sarhan who held on to their spot for the third season. Ma'an took sixth spot after they beat Ahli 2-0 as the latter settled for 10th. Shabab Urdun who first joined the league in 2004 and won the title in 2006 were crowned AFC Cup champs in 2007 but have struggled lately, finished 8th.
Hussein, who took home the JD60,000 in prize money, changed the usual Faisali-Wihdat dominance of the title, like neighbours Ramtha,who won the 2021 season title for the third time in their history after 39 years.
In addition to the league, the season saw Wihdat win the Jordan Super Cup for their 15th time, while Faisali won their 9th Jordan Football Association Shield. Wihdat are now focused on winning the Jordan Cup as the quarterfinalists have now been decided. Regionally, this season saw Wihdat and Faisali failing to advance beyond Round 1 at AFC Cup and Champions League respectively.
Sarih and Jazira will be back to the Pro League next season The latter, a three-time league champion, were relegated for the fourth time– 1977, 1992, 2003, 2022 after the club was a frontrunner in the past few years and played in the AFC West Asia Zone final in 2018 and 2019.
Premier League record
(competition was not held in 1948, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1967, 1968, 1969 & 1998)
Faisali (35 times): 1944, 45, 59, 60-66, 70-74, 76, 77, 83, 85, 86, 88, 89, 90-93, 99, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2022
Wihdat (17 times): 1980, 87, 91, 94, 95, 96, 97, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020
Ahli (8 times): 1947, 49, 50, 51, 54, 75, 78, 79
Ramtha (3 times): 1981, 82, 2021
Jazira (3 times): 1952, 55, 56
Shabab Urdun (twice): 2005, 2012
Hussein (2023), Amman: 1984, Urdun: 1946(once each)
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