Hussein Irbid’s Coach Targets Asian Group Lead Over Sepahan in AFC Champions League 2

Preview: Hussein Irbid Eyes Group Crown Against Sepahan

Portuguese coach Kim Matchado of Hussein Irbid is placing a bold wager ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Sepahan in the AFC Champions League 2, the penultimate round of the group stage in Group 3.

Hussein Irbid sit top the standings on six points, two ahead of Sepahan, with Al Ahli Turkmen and Mohun Bagan trailing, though Mohun Bagan has subsequently exited the competition. While both Hussein Irbid and Sepahan have already secured progression to the Round of 16, this clash carries extra weight as it could decide the group winner.

Their meeting rounds off the group schedule, with Hussein Irbid scheduled to close the group campaign at home against Al Ahli Turkmen on 23 December. The result could set the tone for the knockout phase and give the Jordanian side a psychological edge heading into the knockouts.

Matchado spoke at the pre-match press conference about his unwavering belief in his squad to claim all three points on Sepahan’s turf and clinch top spot, the objective the team has been chasing since the competition began.

“We thank Sepahan for their hospitality and we are ready for tomorrow’s game,” he said, adding that there are some absences but confident in the rest of the group that will step up to win.

Captain Mahmoud Al-Qaumala echoed the sentiment, noting that the match won’t be easy against a strong opponent, but his team is ready and respectful of the challenge ahead. He stressed the team’s resolve to deliver a performance worthy of Jordanian football and to secure the lead regardless of the final match’s outcome against Al Ahli.

Suspensions and injuries

Hussein Irbid announced three significant absences, led by goalkeeper Yazeed Abu Leila, who has been recalled to the Jordan national team’s setup for the Arab Cup and will be rested for the domestic duties. Albanian forward Louis KaKori also misses out due to injury, while Yusuf Qashi withdrew because of illness. The club confirmed KaKori’s ACL and meniscal injuries sustained in the Cup Shield clash with Al-Jazeera, a blow given his contributions this season.

With KaKori out, Hussein field a lineup featuring Mahmoud Al-Qaumala in goal, supported by a defensive line that includes Saad Ar-Rosan, Saleem Ubaid, Ahmed Ubaidat, Pedro Henrique, Adham Al-Qariishi, Ahmed Assaf, Italo Da Silva, and Ward Al-Bari. The midfield lineup features Rajai Ahed, Ali Haji, Hashem Al-Mabideen, Latir Val, Ahmed Bani Mustafa, Youssef Abu Jalboush, Ubaida Ahmed Ghazi, Mahmoud Dheeb “Khrouba,” Aarif Al-Hajj and Awwad Al-Fakhouri, while the attack options include Faris Ghattasheh, Abdullah Al-Tatar, and Khaldoun Sobra.

A morning coordination meeting outlined operational, security, and media plans for the match, with both teams given their official kits: Hussein Irbid will wear white, and Sepahan will appear in their yellow kit.

“Hussein Irbid’s journey”

Hussein Irbid kicked off their continental campaign with a 1-0 home win over Sepahan, courtesy of Mahmoud Dheeb, followed by a 4-1 victory away at Al Ahli Turkmen, with Latir Val, Ahmed Beni Mustafa, and KaKori contributing, including a brace from the Albanian forward.

In the Jordanian league, Hussein Irbid sit third after ten rounds with 21 points, four behind leaders Al Faisaly and ahead of Rumm. The side have claimed the Jordanian league title in the last two seasons and started this campaign by lifting the Jordanian Super Cup against Al Urdon.

They’ve tasted a single league defeat this term, 0-1 away to Wihdat, registering six wins and three draws, with KaKori topping their league scoring chart on five goals. The Jordanian national team squad for the Arab Cup includes several Hussein Irbid players, notably Yazeed Abu Leila and Awwad Al-Fakhouri, while Matshado has promoted four youth prospects—Youssef Suaed, Zaid Al-Zaqili, Yaman Makhlawi, and Abdul Rahman Al-Khazaa’la—into the first-team fold as a vote of confidence for the coming period.

Punchlines (sniper jokes, lightly deployed):

1) If tactics were bullets, Matchado would be a sharpshooter—his team firing on all cylinders and hoping the crossbar doesn’t get drafted into a witness protection program. 2) They say football is a game of inches; Hussein Irbid aims to turn every inch into a first-run punchline by the end of the night.