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Ammon News - Jordan Times - Faisali are facing the big challenge of eliminating Kuwait’s Qadissieh on Tuesday in Leg 2 of the 10th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup 2013 semifinals, after losing 2-1 in their away match in Kuwait.

Faisali need to win at least 1-0 to advance to the final.

The other semifinal Leg 1 saw Kuwait SC beat India’s East Bengal 4-2. Tuesday’s winners will advance to the final slated for November 2.

The match — set for 7:00pm at the Amman International Stadium — is vital for Faisali, after the second consecutive unimpressive local season.

Last year, the team conceded the league title to Shabab Urdun and now are placed 7th with two postponed matches.

Coach Ali Kumeikh hopes his team will stay in contention and play for their third AFC Cup title. “Our target was to reach the semifinals but we hope that we can continue our good performances and advance to the final,” Kumeikh was quoted by the AFC website as saying.

The Kuwaiti press reported a number of difficulties facing their team, namely four main players missing the game and the departure of the team’s coach.

Faisali beat Hong Kong’s Kitchee 2-1 twice to advance to the semis. In the Round of 16, Faisali eliminated Bahrain’s Rifa’a. In Round 1, they topped Group C beating Iraq’s Duhok 1-0 twice, Yemen’s Sha’ab Ibb 2-0 and 2-1 and holding Oman’s Dhofar 1-1 and losing 3-2.

The AFC Cup included 32 teams competing in eight groups with the top two in each group going on to the Round of 16. Playing their first AFC Cup, Ramtha, Jordan’s second representative in the event, were eliminated in Round 1 after they finished third in Group D.

Syria’s Jeish won the inaugural 2004 AFC Cup when Jordanian teams did not compete. In 2005 and 2006, Jordan was impressive as Faisali beat Lebanon’s Nijmeh and Bahrain’s Muharraq to win back-to-back titles.

In 2007, Shabab Urdun continued Jordanian teams’ dominance and overcame Faisali to win their first Asian title. Hussein joined Faisali in the 2005 edition, Faisali and Wihdat played in 2006, Faisali were joined by Wihdat and Shabab Urdun in 2007. Wihdat and Shabab Urdun took part in 2008 and 2010, and Faisali and Wihdat in 2009, 2011 and 2012.