Al-Jazeera achieved a wide-margin win over Al-Hussein Irbid, 5–0, in a match held on Saturday at King Abdullah Stadium in the Quwaismeh area, closing out the first round of the professional football league.
اضافة اعلان
Al-Jazeera's goals were scored by Ahmad Al-Harahsheh (2nd, 40th, and 48th minutes), Rashid Shawahneh (58th minute), and Yassin Al-Bakhit (69th minute), securing Al-Jazeera's first three points at the start of their campaign in the tournament.
In the second match, Al-Salt managed to overcome Al-Arabi 3–1, in a match held at Petra Stadium in Al-Hussein Youth City on Saturday, for the first round of the league.
Al-Salt's goals were scored by Solomon Bapayindi (25th and 76th minutes) and Khaled Issam (65th minute), while Al-Arabi's only goal came from Ahmad Al-Shudaifat in the 47th minute. Al-Salt thus achieved a positive result at the start of its eighth consecutive season among the top division, while Al-Arabi's start was less encouraging after returning to the Pro League following a 13-season absence.
Al-Jazeera 5–0 Al-Hussein Irbid
Al-Jazeera coach Raed Al-Dawoud entered the match relying mainly on Qais Abbasi in goal, Yassin Al-Bakhit, Hamad Al-Balawneh, Rashid Shawahneh, Karam Abu Shaaban, Alaa Diya, Rawad Abu Khaizaran, Malek Abu Khalifa, Abdul Jalil Munser, Bakary Njie, and Ahmad Al-Harahsheh.
Al-Hussein coach Ahmad Hayel relied mainly on Mahmoud Al-Kawamleh in goal, Mahmoud Al-Mardhi, Pedro Henrique, Abdullah Nassib, Aref Al-Hajj, Youssef Qishi, Mahmoud Dhib, Ali Hajbi, Ahmad Assaf, Mahmoud Shawkat, and Brian Riascos.
Al-Jazeera got off to a strong start, finding the net of the defending champion in just the second minute, through a through ball received by Al-Harahsheh, who slotted it to the right of Al-Hussein Irbid's goalkeeper.
As the minutes passed, Al-Hussein took control of midfield in search of an equalizer. Dhib fired a powerful shot from inside the box that flew just over Abbasi's goal in the 11th minute, and Al-Bakhit found himself one-on-one with the Al-Hussein goal, getting past Al-Kawamleh, before Nassib intervened to clear a certain goal in the 18th minute.
Al-Hussein Irbid showed more attempts when Al-Hajj struck a shot from the edge of the box that settled in Abbasi's arms in the 24th minute.
Al-Harahsheh returned in the 40th minute to add the second goal in the same fashion, compounding Al-Hussein's troubles, before the same player added a third goal in stoppage time, ending the first half with Al-Jazeera leading 3–0.
In the early minutes of the second half, Qishi struck a low shot that Abbasi managed to control, and Shawahneh added to Al-Hussein's troubles by scoring the fourth goal with a powerful, unstoppable shot to Al-Kawamleh's left in the 58th minute. Al-Bakhit then added the fifth goal in the 69th minute with a low cross that he sent into Al-Kawamleh's net with his first touch, ending the match with a win for the "Red Devils."
Al-Arabi 1–3 Al-Salt
Al-Arabi began the match under coach Imad Rashad, relying mainly on Rashid Rafid, Yazan Al-Gharableh, Zaid Abu Al-Reesh, Ndamé Nestor, Ahmad Al-Shudaifat, Ibrahim Al-Akhras, Yenal Al-Mahmoud, Youssef Al-Rawashdeh, Moataz Obeidat, Ali Al-Mashahreh, and Bakr Kalbouneh.
Al-Salt coach Raed Assaf relied mainly on Ahmad Jaidi, Suhaib Al-Qadi, Hussam Abu Saada, Abdi Biri, Faisal Abu Shanab, Yazan Abdel-Aal, Saleh Farraj, Abdul Rahman Al-Khudour, Ahmad Al-Awawdeh, Khaled Issam, and Solomon Bapayindi.
Al-Salt opened the scoring after 25 minutes, having dominated play, when left-back Faisal Abu Shanab received the ball near the edge of the penalty area and delivered a precisely measured cross onto the head of his Nigerian teammate Solomon Bapayindi, who directed it toward goal. It crossed the line despite goalkeeper Rashid Rafid's attempt to clear it, and the referee confirmed the goal via video review, allowing Al-Salt to end the half leading 1–0.
Al-Arabi managed to level the score quickly at the start of the second half, just two minutes in, when left-back Ahmad Al-Shudaifat cut the ball off in midfield, exchanged passes with teammate Moataz Obeidat, then received it back and curled it with his left foot into the top corner of Al-Salt's goal, a fine goal.
"Al-Raheeb" (Al-Salt) retook the lead in the 65th minute, after winning a corner kick taken by Faisal Abu Shanab from the right side of the pitch. His teammate Khaled Issam met it at the near post and headed it in, placing it to Rafid's right.
Al-Salt continued their attacking pressure in search of extending the lead, achieving their goal in the 76th minute, when Abu Shanab received the ball from the left side and delivered another excellent cross onto the head of his Nigerian teammate Solomon Bapayindi, who powered it home with a header, ending the match with a 3–1 win for Al-Salt.
