# Al-Wahda SC (Syria)

Al-Wahda Sports Club (Arabic: نادي الوحدة الرياضي) is a Syrian multi-sports club based in Damascus. The club is mostly known for its football and basketball teams. The football team plays in Syria's top competition, the Syrian Premier League. Al-Wahda SC was founded in 1928 and its colours are orange and white. They play their home games at the Al-Jalaa Stadium. The club is nicknamed "The Damascene orange".
The club has one of Syria's most prominent football charts, as it has won the Syrian Premier League 2 times, the Syrian Cup 8 times and the Syrian Super Cup 3 times. Internationally, Al-Wahda biggest achievement is participation in the final of the 2004 AFC Cup.
Al-Wahda SC have competed in the AFC Champions League group stage as first Syrian club in history and have reached the knockout rounds of the AFC Cup four times, as well as reaching the round of 32 at the Arab Club Champions Cup twice.

## History

Founded in 1928, Al Wahda is one of the oldest clubs in the Arab world. Previous names for the club include Al Ghouta, and Qasioun (named after Mount Qasioun which overlooks the city of Damascus).
The club was officially opened in 1928 and hosted a series of sports, including football and weightlifting.

## The "Golden Era"

Nenad Stavrić is a Serbian coach who joined Al-Wahda club in 2001. He started with two losses against Al-Horriya and Al-Karamah followed with draw with Al-Jaish, the team had to wait until the fifth week of the season to achieve their first win with the new coach. The team finished the league in the third place. In his second year the team had a big improvement In the level of performance especially with the new formation 4–4–2 which was the first time ever a Syrian team to use it, in the beginning the results was awful with the new formation especially the big defeat against the Saudi Arabia champion Al-Ittihad Jeddah seven to nothing in the Arabian club tournament, but after that the team keep improving to win the Syrian Cup in 2003 against Al-Ittihad Aleppo after a dramatic match 5–3. In the next season he made the dream true and Al-Wahda is the 2003–04 Syrian League champion for the first time in the club history, also the team reached the final of AFC Cup and lost against the other Syrian side Al-Jaish after losing the first game 2–3 and winning the second game 1–0. In 2004–05 the team was too close to win the title again but it lost it in the last few weeks with missing a key players along the season with major injury. The curse of injuries continued in the following season but even though the team was closer than the year before to clinch the title. The chairman of the club Khaled Hbobaty decided to replace him with Mansoor Haj Saied and the club entered the black tunnel for several years and remains so to this day.

## Stadiums
### Al-Jalaa Stadium

Al-Jalaa Stadium is located in Mazzeh municipality of Damascus, Syria.

### Abbasiyyin Stadium

Al-Wahda formerly played their home games at their own ground, Abbasiyyin Stadium, but maintenance deficiencies prevented the club from using the stadium. As a consequence, Al-Jalaa Stadium replaced it as the official home ground.

## Supporters and rivalries

The biggest rival of the club is Al-Jaish SC, with whom they play the Damascus city derby.

## Colours and kits

The club's home jersey is based on the orange color that, in addition to the Damascus sword monument located on Umayyad Square and Damascene Jasmine, the club has had in its emblem since its foundation. Away jerseys are white with orange edges.

### Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| 2012–2016 | Kappa | Cham Wings Airlines |
| 2016–2017 | Lotto | Cham Wings Airlines |
| 2017–2019 | Uhlsport | None |
| 2019–2020 | Nike | None |
| 2020–2022 | Adidas | Cham Wings Airlines |
| 2022– | Nike | Cham Wings Airlines |

## Honours
### Domestic

* Syrian Premier League: 2
** Winners: 2003–04, 2013–2014
* Syrian Cup: 8
** Winners: 1993, 2003, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020
* Syrian Super Cup: 3
** Winners: 1993, 2016, 2020
* Syrian FA Shield: 1
** Winners: 2024

### Continental

* AFC Cup:
** Runners-up: 2004

### Regional

* Arab Club Champions Cup:
** Round of 32: 2006, 2007
Notes:
* In 2016, Al-Wahda received an extraordinary Nine Values Cup, an award of the international children's social programme Football for Friendship.

## Performance in AFC competitions

* AFC Champions League: 1 appearance
       2005: Group Stage
* AFC Cup: 8 appearances
       2004: Finalists
       2013: Qualifying Round
       2014: Group Stage
       2015: Round of 16
       2016: Round of 16
       2017: Zonal finals
       2018: Group Stage
       2021: Group Stage

### Records

Accurate as of 28 September 2022
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| AFC Champions League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 16 |
| AFC Cup | 49 | 17 | 13 | 19 | 66 | 66 |
| TOTAL | 55 | 17 | 13 | 25 | 71 | 82 |
| Match won | Match drawn | Match lost | Champions | Runners-up |
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Agg |
| 2003–04 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Dhofar | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| 2003–04 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Mahindra | 5–1 | 0–0 | 5–1 |
| 2003–04 | AFC Cup | Quarterfinals | Nejmeh | 2–1 | 2–3 | 4–4 |
| 2003–04 | AFC Cup | Semifinals | Geylang | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| 2003–04 | AFC Cup | Final | Al-Jaish | 2–3 | 1–0 | 3–3 |
| 2004–05 | AFC Champions League | Group stage | Al-Ain | 2–3 | 0–3 | 2–6 |
| 2004–05 | AFC Champions League | Group stage | Al Shabab | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 |
| 2004–05 | AFC Champions League | Group stage | Sepahan | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–5 |
| 2012–13 | AFC Cup | Qualifying play-off | Ahli Taizz | 3–5 | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| 2013–14 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Hidd | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–7 |
| 2013–14 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Al-Shorta | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–3 |
| 2013–14 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Qadsia | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| 2014–15 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Al Nahda | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 |
| 2014–15 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Salam Zgharta | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 |
| 2014–15 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Al-Wehdat | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| 2014–15 | AFC Cup | Round of 16 | Istiklol | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (2–4 p) | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (2–4 p) | 1–2 |
| 2015–16 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Al-Ourouba | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 |
| 2015–16 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 5–2 | 0–1 | 5–3 |
| 2015–16 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Shabab Al-Dhahiriya | 0–3 | 3–0 | 3–3 |
| 2015–16 | AFC Cup | Round of 16 | Al Ahed | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 |
| 2016–17 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Hidd | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| 2016–17 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Safa | 2–0 | 6–0 | 8–0 |
| 2016–17 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 0–0 | 1–1 | 5–3 |
| 2016–17 | AFC Cup | Zonal semifinals | Al-Wehdat | 4–1 | 0–1 | 4–2 |
| 2016–17 | AFC Cup | Zonal finals | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 (a) |
| 2017–18 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Al-Faisaly | 1–2 | 2–2 | 3–4 |
| 2017–18 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Al Ansar | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| 2017–18 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Dhofar | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| 2020–21 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Hidd | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| 2020–21 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Ahed | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |

## Performance in UAFA competitions

* Arab Club Champions Cup: 3 appearances
       2002–03: Group Stage
       2005–06: Round of 32
       2006–07: Round of 32

### Records

Accurate as of 28 September 2022
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| Arab Club Champions Cup | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 17 |
| TOTAL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 17 |
| Match won | Match drawn | Match lost | Champions | Runners-up |
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Agg |
| 2002–03 | Arab Champions League | Group stage | Qadsia | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| 2002–03 | Arab Champions League | Group stage | Al-Ittihad | 0–7 | 0–7 | 0–7 |
| 2005–06 | Arab Champions League | Round of 32 | Raja Casablanca | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| 2006–07 | Arab Champions League | Round of 32 | Club Africain | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–6 |

## Players
### First-team squad

    As of 30 May 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 | SYR | Hussain Rahal |
| 2 | DF | SYR | Abdullah Jniat |
| 3 | DF | SYR | Yasser Shahen |
| 4 | DF | SYR | Yousef Mohammad |
| 5 | DF | SYR | Milad Hamad |
| 6 | DF | SYR | Burhan Sahyouni |
| 7 | FW | SYR | Firas Kareem |
| 8 | MF | SYR | Maher Daaboul |
| 9 | FW | SYR | Anas Bota |
| 11 | FW | GHA | Mohammed Anas |
| 12 | FW | SYR | ? |
| 14 | DF | SYR | Louay Al Shareef |
| 15 | DF | SYR | Mohammad Othman |
| 17 | DF | SYR | Mohamad Ali Rammal (captain) |
| 18 | FW | SYR | Mohamad Sharif |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | MF | SYR | Abdul Kader Adi |
| 21 | FW | SYR | Qais Al-hassan |
| 23 | MF | SYR | Yahya Karak |
| 24 | FW | SYR | Mahmoud Al-khatib |
| 27 | FW | SYR | Firas Kraym |
| 30 | MF | SYR | Qusay Habib |
| 31 | MF | SYR | Anas Al-aji |
| 66 | DF | SYR | Zakaria Karak |
| 70 | DF | SYR | Farhad Khaled |
| 77 | DF | SYR | Amro Jenyat |
| 88 | FW | SEN | Sekou Traore |
| 90 | DF | SYR | Ahmad Al Khaimi |
| 92 | GK | SYR | Ali Mariama |
| 97 | GK | SYR | Eyad Jomaa |
| 99 | MF | SYR | Mohammed Harb |

## Administration
### Club presidents

* Wahda presidents since 1974:

## Former managers

* Ayman Hakeem (1993–1995)
* Sameer Soukieh (1995–2001)
* Nenad Stavrić (2001–06)
* Mansour Al Haj Saied (2006)
* Ayman Hakeem (2006–07)
* Costică Ştefănescu (2007)
* Muhammad Jomma (2007–08)
* Nizar Mahrous (2008)
* Assaf Khalifa (2009)
* Faruk Kolović (2009)
* Nizar Mahrous (2009–11)
* Ayman Hakeem (2012)
* Hussam Al Sayed (2012)
* Mohannad Al Fakir (2013)
* Rafat Muhammad (2013–2017, 2018, 2019)
* Eyad Abdulkareem (2019–2020)
* Ghassan Maatouk (2020–2021)
* Ayman Hakeem (2021)
* Maher Bahri (2021–2022)
* Siniša Dobrašinović (2022)
* Ammar Shamali (2022–2023)
* Mohammad Istanbuli (2024)
* Nizar Mahrous (2024–present)

## Player records
### League top scorer

* Al-Wahda SC players won the title of top scorer in the Syrian Premier League 7 times:
| No. | Season | Name | Nation | Goals | Notes |
| 1 | 1990–91 | Othman Bawarshi | Syria | 11 | |
| 2 | 1992–93 | Assaf Khalifa | Syria | 11 | With Mouhanad Boushi |
| 3 | 2010–11 | Ali Salah Hashim | Iraq | 9 | Season suspended |
| 4 | 2013–14 | Majed al-Haj | Syria | 11 | |
| 5 | 2015–16 | Raja Rafe | Syria | 22 | |
| 6 | 2016–17 | Osama Omari | Syria | 17 | |
| 7 | 2017–18 | Basel Mustafa | Syria | 15 | |

### Top scorers

* List of top scorers for Al Wahda club in the league and cup historically:
| No. | Name | Nation | Goals |
| 1 | Osama Omari | Syria | 78 |
| 2 | Maher Al-Sayed | Syria | 76 |
| 3 | Assaf Khalifa | Syria | 59 |
| 4 | Mahmoud Mahmalji | Syria | 51 |
| 5 | Raja Rafe | Syria | 46 |
| 6 | Nizar Mahrous | Syria | 44 |
| 7 | Majed al-Haj | Syria | 38 |
| =7 | Nabil Al-Shahma | Syria | 38 |
| 9 | Ismail Fatout | Syria | 31 |
| 10 | Maher Kharrat | Syria | 30 |