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Al-Ittihad SC Aleppo

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This article is about the Syrian football team. For other uses, see Al-Ittihad (disambiguation).

Al-Ittihad Ahli of Aleppo
Full nameAl-Ittihad Ahli of Aleppo Sports Club
Nickname(s)The Red Castle
Halab Al-Ahli
Al-Hawiya
Founded20 January 1949; 75 years ago (1949-01-20) as Al-Ahli Sports Club
GroundAl-Hamadaniah Stadium[a]
Capacity15,000
LeagueSyrian Premier League
2023–245th of 12
Websitewww.facebook.com/ittihadofaleppo/
Current season
Al-Ittihad Ahli of Aleppo SC active sections

Football
Basketball
Women's Basketball

Al-Ittihad Ahli of Aleppo Sports Club (Arabic: نادي الاتحاد أهلي حلب الرياضي) is a professional multi-sports club based in the Syrian city of Aleppo, mostly known for its football team which competes in the Syrian Premier League, the top league of Syrian football.[1] Al-Ittihad is one of the most successful clubs in Syrian football history, having won six Syrian football league titles and ten Syrian Cups. Al-Ittihad is a sole founding member of Syrian Premier League that has never been relegated from the top division since its debut in 1966. In Asia, their best performance was in 2010 when they became champions of the AFC Cup competition.[2][3]

The club was founded in 1949 and received its license in 1953. They play their home games at the Aleppo International Stadium since its inauguration in 2007. Due to the reconstruction of the main Aleppo International Stadium, they are temporarily playing at the Al-Hamadaniah Stadium from 2021.[4] The club have their own ground; Al-Ittihad Stadium with a capacity of 10,000 spectators.[citation needed]

Al-Ittihad are also known for their basketball team.[5] In general, 20 types of sports including volleyball and handball are being practiced by the club.[citation needed]

History

Early history (1949–1972)

The club was founded on 20 January 1949 under the name Halab Al-Ahli Club, by the merge of three smaller football teams in Aleppo: Al-Janah (The Wing), Assad Al-Shahba (Lions of Shahba) and Al-Nejmeh (The Star), before getting recognized officially by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on 24 September 1953. Prior to the foundation of the Syrian official football league, the club have competed in various regional competitions in the Aleppo Governorate such as the regional league of Aleppo and the Aleppo Municipality Shield. The first major success in the club's history was winning the Syrian Cup in the 1964–65 season, when they beat Barada SC 4–1 in the final.[6]

The club participated in the first ever Syrian football league in 1966–67 when they became champions.[7] In the following league season, the club defended the title. In 1972, the name of the club was changed to Al-Ittihad SC Aleppo by the decision of the Syrian government.[8] Since then, they have never relegated to the bottom level.[citation needed]

Ups and downs (1972–2005)

The 1972–73 season was also success, as despite the league being suspended, the club won the Syrian Cup.[6] Despite being among the most successful clubs in the country, they only won the league title in the 1976–77 season when they overtook their later rivals Al-Karamah SC. Until 1982, Al-Ahli regularly placed third in the league.[citation needed]

Everything changed in the 1981–82 season when Al-Ahli won the Syrian Cup and reached the final of the Syrian Super Cup, losing 1–2 to Al-Karamah SC. The same success in the cup was recorded by the club in 1984 and 1985.[6] In the 1985–86 season, the club made its first appearance in an Asian competition, advancing from the group stage at the Asian Club Championship and finishing in 4th place after losing to Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian.[9] In the following seasons, the club finished second at best.[citation needed]

The last time in this period, the club achieved the league championship in 1993 and 1995, beating long standing rival Al-Karamah. In addition to both league titles, they also won the Cup in 1994 over Jableh SC.[6] After this seasons, the club experienced a loss of quality, which was reflected in the club's poor results in domestic competitions.[10]

Domestic and continental success (2005–2012)

In the 2004–05 season, after a successful group stage of the league, the club took part in the title, and then, after winning the cup final over Al-Majd SC, also the Syrian Cup victory.[11][6] In the 2005–2006 season, Al-Ahli won the Syrian Cup after they dominated the final against Tishreen SC 3–0.[12] For the first time in their history, they took part in the AFC Champions League, where they took third place in the group after defeating Pakhtakor and Foolad.[13] In the 2007–08 season, the club finished third overall in the league behind Al Karamah and Al Majd SC. The club also participated in the 2008 AFC Champions League, defeating Sepahan twice in the group stage (2–1, 2–0).[14] In April 2009, after two years, the club sacked its Romanian coach Valeriu Tița.[15]

In the 2010 season, during its first participation in the AFC Cup, Al-Ittihad was able to go from second place in the group to the playoffs.[16] In the round of 16 of the competition, they met Kuwait SC, which they defeated 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in regular time. In the quarter-finals, they advanced over Kazma SC, which they defeated 3–2 and 1–0. In the semi-finals, they beat Muangthong United 2–1 on the score after a close double-header.[17] In the final of the AFC Cup, they met with Qadsia SC, with whom they drew 1–1 after regular time (Dyab scored a goal for Ittihad) and beat them 4–2 after penalties (Radwan Kalaji scored the decisive penalty).[18] They became only the second Syrian football club to win the Asian club competition.[19]

In the 2010–11 season, the club won the Syrian Cup, defeating Al-Wathba SC 3–1 in the final. In the same season, the club failed to reach the AFC Champions League play-offs, losing to Al Sadd SC 1–5.[20] In the group stage of the 2011 AFC Cup, they first beat Al-Saqr 2–1, but then lost to Qadsia SC 0–2.[21] In other matches, they drew Shurtan Guzar 1–1 and 0–0, won against Al-Saqr SC 2–0 and lost to Qadsia 2–3.[21]

In the 2011–12 season, the club was playing to stay in the Syrian Premier League and withdrew from the 2012 Syrian Cup in the semi-finals due to the conflict in the country.[22] The club also participated in the 2012 AFC Cup, despite not being able to play at home ground, they beat Qadsia 1–0 and drew with Al-Faisaly SC 0–0.[23]

Difficult years (2012–2017)

The club had to play the entire 2012–13 season in Damascus due to security reasons arising from the beginning of the Battle of Aleppo. Despite this, it placed in mid-table in the league and retained its league affiliation.[24] Due to the security situation, Al-Ittihad also had to withdraw from the 2013 Syrian Cup, for which it was threatened with a two-year ban from participating in domestic competitions, but it finally received an exemption from the federation.[25]

In the 2013–14 season, the club also played in Damascus and finished in the relegation place in the league, it was saved from relegation by the fact that the clubs in the first division were not interested in entering the SPL.[26] The club achieved little success in the 2014 Syrian Cup, where they advanced to the semi-finals, where they lost to Baniyas SC 0–2.[27] In the 2014–15 season, the club was placed in the bottom half of the league table of Group A.[28]

In the 2015–16 season, Al-Ittihad Ahli of Aleppo SC achieved unexpected success by finishing second in Group B of the SPL, advancing to the Championship group where they finished just three points behind Al-Wahda and Al-Jaish in third place.[29] The 2016–17 season was a breakthrough from the club's point of view. On 28 January 2017, Al-Ahli finally returned to Aleppo, defeating Hurriya SC 2–1 in a derby match at Ri'ayet al-Shabab Stadium.[30]

Stabilization and gradual success (2017–present)

Financially and infrastructurally stabilized Al-Ittihad finished in second place in the 2017–18 season, after losing a tie-breaker to Al-Jaish with whom they were level on points.[31] They lost to Al-Jaish 0–1 as league vice-champions in the 2018 Syrian Super Cup.[32]

In the 2018–19 season, they participated as Syrian runners-up in the group stage of the 2019 AFC Cup. The team achieved only one positive result, a 0–0 draw with Al-Najma. They lost the other matches with Al-Jazeera SC and Kuwait SC.[33]

In the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons, the Al-Ittihad finished sixth and eighth respectively in the Syrian Premier League. Therefore, due to the negative results, the club management gradually dismissed the coaches Ahmad Hawash and Artur Bernardes. A new Croatian coach, Igor Tkalčević, came in their place, but the results of the football team did not improve, as they were only playing for survival in the league until the spring of 2022.[citation needed]

The situation culminated in the resignation of the long-time chairman of the club Bassel Hamwi in March 2022, who was replaced by the new chairman Rasen Martini and the new coach Maher Bahri.[34] The team, stabilized financially and in play, ended up in fifth place in the SPL.[35] In the same 2021–22 season, Al-Ahli achieved historic success, after defeating Al-Hurriya and Al-Jaish, the team reached the final of the Syrian Cup, beating Al-Wathba SC 4–3 on penalties.[36] In 2022, the Syrian General Sports Federation approved the club's name change to Al-Ittihad Ahli of Aleppo SC, inspired by the club's original name Halab Al-Ahli Club; following pleas by the fans to restore the club's original name.[37]

Stadiums

Al-Ittihad fans crowded in the Aleppo International Stadium

Al-Ittihad's original home ground since the early 1950s was the Aleppo Municipal Stadium which is considered one of the most historic stadiums in Syria.[38] At the beginning of the 1990s the club moved to the newly built Al-Hamadaniah Stadium. After the inauguration of the Aleppo International Stadium in 2007, the club decided to play their home games at the Syrian league and AFC competitions in the modern stadium which can host around 53,000 spectators. Al-Hamadaniah Stadium is still used as an alternative venue.[citation needed]

Stadium Name Capacity Years
7 April Stadium 12,000 1949–90
Al-Hamadaniah Stadium Original: 25,000 (15,000 after the 2008 renovation) 1990–08, 2021–
Aleppo International Stadium 53,200 2008–
Ri'ayet al-Shabab Stadium 10,000 2017–2021

Training facilities

Al-Ittihad Stadium

The training grounds of al-Ittihad are located in the al-Shahbaa district of Aleppo. The complex is home to the Al-Ittihad Stadium with a capacity of 10,000 spectators, a nearby indoor training pitch and many other small pitches.[citation needed]

Supporters and rivalries

Al-Ittihad are rivals with fellow Aleppine clubs Hurriya, Al-Jalaa, Al-Herafyeen, Ouroube and Al-Yarmouk.[30]

Colours and kits

Since its foundation, the traditional colour of Al-Ittihad's home kit is red with various designs over the years. Therefore, the club is nicknamed The Red Castle by the fans as a reference to the city's main landmark; the Citadel of Aleppo. The away kit may vary between a full white kit and a white kit with red stripes on the shirt.[39]

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Period Kit supplier Shirt sponsor
2008–2012 Adidas None
2012–2013 Uhlsport
2013–2016 Adidas
2016–2017 MBB Apparel
2017–2019 Adidas Katarji Group
2019–2020 Nike
2020–2022 Adidas
2022–present Nike

Honours

Domestic

Continental

Regional

Performance in AFC competitions

See also: Syrian football clubs in the AFC Cup
1985: 4th place
2002–03: Qualifying West – 3rd Round
2006: Group Stage
2007: Group Stage
2008: Group Stage
2011: Qualifying Play-off – West Semi-final
2010: Champions
2011: Group Stage
2012: Group Stage
2019: Group Stage
2023: TBD

Records

Accurate as of 22 August 2023

Match won Match drawn Match lost Champions Runners-up
Season Competition Round Club Home Away
1985–86 Asian Club Championship Group Thailand Bangkok Bank 3–0
South Korea Daewoo Royals 0–1
Semifinals Saudi Arabia Al Ahli Jeddah 0–1
3rd place match Indonesia Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian 0–1
2002–03 AFC Champions League 2nd Round Tajikistan Khujand w/o[b]
3rd Round Kuwait Al-Arabi 0–1 0–3
2005–06 AFC Champions League Group Uzbekistan Pakhtakor 2–1 0–2
Iran Foolad 0–0 2–1
Kuwait Qadsia 2–2 0–1
2006–07 AFC Champions League Group Iran Sepahan 0–5 1–2
United Arab Emirates Al Ain 0–0 1–1
Saudi Arabia Al Shabab 1–1 0–4
2007–08 AFC Champions League Group Iran Sepahan 2–1 2–0
Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 0–1 0–3
Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 0–2 0–1
2010 AFC Cup Group India East Bengal 2–1 4–1
Kuwait Qadsia 0–0 0–3
Lebanon Nejmeh 4–2 0–1
Round of 16 Kuwait Kuwait 1–1 (5–4 pen.)
Quarterfinals Kuwait Kazma 3–2 1–0
Semifinals Thailand Muangthong 2–0 0–1
Final Kuwait Qadsia 1–1 (4–2 pen.)
2010–11 AFC Champions League Qualifying play-off round Qatar Al Sadd 1–5
2011 AFC Cup Group Yemen Al-Saqr SC 2–0 2–1
Kuwait Qadsia 0–2 2–3
Uzbekistan Shurtan Guzan 0–0 1–1
2012 AFC Cup Group Kuwait Qadsia 1–0[c] 2–5
Jordan Al-Faisaly 1–4[d] 1–1
Oman Suwaiq 0–2[e] 0–2
2019 AFC Cup Group Kuwait Kuwait 0–2[f] 0–0
Bahrain Najma 1–2[g] 1–2
Jordan Al-Jazeera 0–2[h] 0–4
2023 AFC Cup Qualifying play-off State of Palestine Shabab Al-Khalil 2–1

Performance in UAFA competitions

2004: 1st Round
2009: Round of 16
1995: Group Stage

Records

Accurate as of 12 June 2022

Match won Match drawn Match lost Champions Runners-up
Season Competition Round Club Home Away
1994–95 Arab Cup Winners' Cup Group Tunisia Club Africain 0–1
United Arab Emirates Al-Nasr 3–0
Egypt Al Ahly 0–1
Saudi Arabia Al-Riyadh 0–2
2003–04 Arab Club Champions Cup 1st Round Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad Jeddah 0–0 0–2
2008–09 Arab Club Champions Cup Round of 32 Algeria USM Annaba 0–0 0–0 (4–2 pen.)
Round of 16 Morocco Wydad AC 1–0 0–2

Players

Current squad

As of 12 June 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Syria SYR Fadi Merie
2 DF Syria SYR Zakaria Hanan
3 DF Syria SYR Ahmed Hamo
4 DF Syria SYR Ibraheem Al Zai
5 DF Syria SYR Hassan Al Damen
6 DF Syria SYR Ali Al Rina
7 MF Syria SYR Hassan Dahan
8 MF Syria SYR Sumu-Epuh
9 MF Syria SYR Ahmad Al Ahmad
10 MF Syria SYR Mohamad Rihanieh
11 FW Syria SYR Abdullah Najjar
12 MF Syria SYR Hazem Mahamid
14 MF Syria SYR Amer Fayad
15 DF Syria SYR Ahmad Al Ali
16 MF Syria SYR Mohammed Kayali
17 MF Syria SYR Amjad Fayad
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW Syria SYR Anas Al Dahan
19 MF Syria SYR Zakaria Aziz
20 FW Nigeria NGA Shadrach Chidubem
21 MF Syria SYR Mahmoud Nayef
22 GK Syria SYR Mohamad Hassouni
23 MF Syria SYR Mohammed Al Abdo
30 MF Syria SYR Hamza Haj Deebo
47 MF Syria SYR Mahmoud Al Omar
48 DF Syria SYR Alaa Homsi
50 DF Syria SYR Rasheed Beto
55 GK Syria SYR Shaher Al Shakhir
60 DF Guinea GUI Aboubacar Camara
66 MF Syria SYR Ahmad Al Kaloo
88 FW Syria SYR Hamza Sawas

Administration

Administrative Board of Al-Ittihad Aleppo Club:

Office Name
President of the Board Cristian Popovici
Investment and Facilities Director Mulham Tabbara
Member of the Board Jum'a ar-Rashed
Administrative and Legislative Committee Director Ayman Hazzam
Financial Director Ziyad al-Sheikh Omar
Member of the Board Weizar Sarmini
Training Centres Director Reem Sabbagh

Last updated: March 2022
Source: ittihadaleppo.com

Managerial history

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Aleppo International Stadium (53,200) is closed since 2012.
  2. ^ Khujand disqualified following suspension of Tajik FA by FIFA and AFC.
  3. ^ Due to the political crisis in Syria, the AFC requested Syrian clubs to play their home matches at neutral venues.[40]
  4. ^ Due to the political crisis in Syria, the AFC requested Syrian clubs to play their home matches at neutral venues.[40]
  5. ^ Due to the political crisis in Syria, the AFC requested Syrian clubs to play their home matches at neutral venues.[40]
  6. ^ Teams from Syria were not allowed to host their home matches in their country due to security concerns.
  7. ^ Teams from Syria were not allowed to host their home matches in their country due to security concerns.
  8. ^ Teams from Syria were not allowed to host their home matches in their country due to security concerns.

References

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  2. ^ "AFC Cup 2010 Final". goalzz.com. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  3. ^ "AFC Cup Winners". Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  4. ^ "ديربي حلب يخطف الأضواء في الجولة الثالثة للدوري السوري". koora.com. 5 November 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Al-Ittihad, History". asia-basket. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Syria – List of Cup Winners". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
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  8. ^ "The History of Al-Ittihad". Al-Ittihad official website (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  9. ^ "Champions' Cup 1985/86". Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  10. ^ "2010 AFC Cup Final – Match Summary". the-afc.com. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  11. ^ "Al-Ittihad SC in Syrian League 2004/2005". kooora.com.com. 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Syria Cup 2005/06". goalzz.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  13. ^ "전북 현대 AFC 챔피언스리그 우승". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 9 November 2006. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  14. ^ "2008 AFC Champions League". goalzz.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  15. ^ -campionatului-siriei-132554.html[permanent dead link‍] Gazeta Sporturilor on April 6, 2009 (Romanian), retrieved on 20 February 2010
  16. ^ "Open ACL draw for Koreans; Saudis separated". Archived from the original on 11 May 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
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  18. ^ "2010 AFC Cup Final (Goalzz.com)". Archived from the original on 4 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
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  22. ^ "بقرار اتحادي الوحدة يتوج بطلا لكأس الجمهورية بكرة القدم سوريا | رياضة - اتخذ اتحاد كرة القدم بموجب اجتماعه أمس الأحد في مقره بالفيحاء قرارا اعتبر فيه نادي الوحدة بطلاً لكاس الجمهورية للموسم 2011-2012 وذلك بعد أن تخلفت فرق الشرطة والإتحاد والجزيرة عن إكمال منافساتها في الدور النصف النهائي للبطولة والذي كان مقررا يوم أمس حيث قرر اتحاد الكرة حرمان هذه الفرق من المشاركة في بطولة كأس الجمهورية لمدة عامين وذلك تطبيقاً للمادة السادسة من لائحة العقوبات......(أ.ج)". topnews-nasserkandil.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
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  30. ^ a b "Derby returns to Aleppo after five-year absence". Reuters. 28 January 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
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  34. ^ "Staff". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
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  40. ^ a b c "Yemen, Syria clubs to play in neutral venue". AFC. 27 February 2012. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
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