Algeria's ES Setif won the fourth edition of the Arab Champions League by beating Jordan's Al-Faisali 1-0 in Amman Thursday for a 2-1 aggregate triumph.
Setif came to Amman for the second leg of the final as the underdog after a disappointing 1-1 draw at home two weeks earlier left Al-Faisali on the brink of the country's biggest soccer success
But Farid Touil bundled home the ball on the stroke of half-time to ensure Setif became the third North African side to win the trophy in four years.
The game started cautiously from both sides, with defenders having the upper hand over strikers.
Faisali’s star Khaled Saad unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from the edge of the area after nine minutes but the ball was superbly tipped over by Setif keeper Samir Hadjaoui.
Khaled Lammouchia responded three minutes later after firing a long-range drive that was blocked by Faisali’s guardian Loai Al-Amaireh.
Touil stunned the home crowd in the first-half's additional time on the rebound after El Yacine Derradj's brilliant side-kick was denied by Al-Amaireh.
Setif could have doubled the lead 11 minutes after re-start when Derradj went through on goal but his hesitation to shoot helped the keeper deny his late effort.
One minute later, Faisali's Hatem Aqel, who scored the equalizer in the first-leg, curled a free-kick that just missed the target.
Faisali dominated in terms of possession for the rest of the match, but Setif succeeded in holding on to their lead, thanks to a great defensive display and a wonderful form by Hadjaoui.
All in all, there were limited chances for the Jordanians in the second half as they sought to fight their way back into the game on home soil.
Setif added the Arab title to the African Champions Cup they won in 1988.
The Arab Champions League was launched four years ago with previous winners coming from Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.
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