Wehdat Triumphs at Home: First ACL2 Group Win Sealed in a 2-1 Thriller
29 October 2025
Match Recap
Al-Wehdat of Jordan edged a precious, exciting win over Bahraini rivals Al-Muharraq by 2-1 on Wednesday night, as the fifth round of the AFC Champions League 2 group stage unfolded. The match was hosted at King Abdullah II Stadium in Al-Qweisima, Amman, with a vociferous home crowd backing Wehdat from the first whistle to the final whistle, delivering a deserved victory after a strong display across all departments.
Wehdat's win took them to 3 points, sitting fourth and last in the group after five rounds, behind leaders Al-Wasl of UAE with 9 points, Al-Muharraq on 6 in second, and Esteghlal of Iran on 3.
Wehdat started with a clear aim to make up for their earlier results, but Al-Muharraq suffered a blow when midfielder Walid Al-Hayyam was sent off in the 23rd minute.
After the red, Muharraq tried to regain balance and push on, scoring the opener through Junior in the 30th minute after a build-up by Abd al-Karim Diarra.
Wehdat rallied in the final quarter of the first half and Mustafa Meawed scored a sensational equalizer in the 45+1 minute, while Muharraq keeper Ibrahim Lotf Allah saw red after disputing the referee's decision, leaving the first half at 1-1.
Second half, clear dominance by Wehdat under coach Jamal Mahmoud.
The winner came in the 58th minute when Amer Gamous converted a pass from Mohamed Abu Kabir.
Muharraq pushed for a comeback, but a well-organised Wehdat defense and quick counter-attacks kept the lead close, with several near-misses and a defensive block.
Muharraq introduced Lazar Gjorgjevic in the 63rd minute and Wehdat brought on Nigerian ace Junior Ajayi in the 71st to pressure the Muharraq backline.
Further substitutions followed: Mohammed Kahlan for Wehdat, while Muharraq sent Lucas and Vakando Tobaris to sharpen their attack; Kamal Mustafa was injured and replaced by Ahmed Heikal; Ahmed Harhash came on for Mohammed Abu Kabir.
Muharraq continued with late substitutions Hussein Abdul Karim and Abdullah Al-Khalasi in the 89th minute.
In stoppage time, Muharraq pressed for a late equalizer, but Wehdat’s goalkeeper and defense held firm, and the referee’s whistle confirmed Wehdat's 2-1 victory, their first in the group stage, keeping their competition hopes alive.
Post-match, coach Jamal Mahmoud expressed happiness and praised a brave performance, noting that the team still has a real chance to qualify if they maintain their level in forthcoming games. He added that the win came against a respected opponent with impressive individual talents, and that his side must keep working to improve further.
Nearing the spotlight, Wehdat star Amer Gamous spoke with pride about contributing to the win, emphasizing that the goal was a product of collective effort and thorough coaching instructions. He said the team understood the match importance and promised to fight on to entertain their supporters.
Looking ahead, Wehdat prepare for a tough test against Esteghlal on November 5, while Muharraq face Al-Wasl in a challenging assignment to rebound. The victory restores some Asian sparkle to Wehdat and confirms their ability to contend with the continent’s big sides despite early-season hurdles, as fans hope for more consistency in the rounds to come.
Wehdat will host Ramtha in the Jordanian league this coming Saturday, with their match against Al-Baqa’a having been postponed. The team also looks back on building momentum after an ACL2 campaign that has seen mixed results so far, including a previous heavy defeat to Muharraq and a narrow loss to Al-Wasl and Esteghlal.
Two snappy punchlines for the end: 1) If football were a sniper, Wehdat just planted a perfect counter-shot—boom, 2-1 and the crowd goes wild. 2) And remember: in football, as in life, the best plans often start with a red card and end with a clever finish—so bring snacks, because extra time is a snack time too.
