Ammon News - by Aline Bannayan

AMMAN — Faisali play Manshieh today in the 32nd Jordan Cup final, the fourth event of the 2011/12 football season.

The 6:00pm match will see Faisali, who have been impressive this season, aim for their 17th Cup title. Manshieh have never won a major title, but were runner-up to Wihdat last year.

Faisali reached the final after they eliminated Shabab Urdun — beating them on aggregate (1-0 and 3-2). Manshieh managed to eliminate Jazira on aggregate (1-1, 2-2).

Leg 1 of Cup quarters saw Faisali upset Wihdat 2-1 as Manshieh beat Yarmouk 1-0. Kufrsoum also upset Shabab Urdun 2-1 and Jazira beat Arabi 1-0. Leg 2 saw Wihdat beat Faisali 3-2, Yarmouk win against Manshieh 3-2, Shabab Urdun outscored Kufrsoum 3-1 and Arabi overcame Jazira 2-1 as the winners advanced on aggregate.

The knockout round of the Jordan Cup included Jordan Professional League and four First Division teams. In the Round of 16, Kufrsoum beat Shabab Hussein 2-0, Yarmouk beat Baqaa 5-4 on penalties, Shabab Urdun beat That Ras 7-3, Arabi won against Sarih and Jazira beat Jalil 1-0, Manshieh outscored Turra 6-1, Faisali overcame Ramtha 2-1. Wihdat ousted Ein Karem 5-0.

Faisali hope to capture the Jordan Cup after winning the Jordan Football Association Shield this season and nearly on their way to the League title. Wihdat only managed to win one of the four titles they won last season after they beat Manshieh to win the Cup Winners’ Cup. Last season, in a historic repeat of the 2008/09, Wihdat grabbed all four titles.

Out of 19 final appearances, Faisali are record 16-time winners of the Jordan Cup. Wihdat were champs nine times, Ramtha and Shabab Urdun twice each while Jazira and Arabi won once each.

The Jordan Cup champ will get JD40,000 and play the Cup Winners’ Cup next year against the League champ. The runner-up gets JD20,000.


* Jordan Times