Al Shabab seek to maintain winning momentum
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E-mail China.org.cn, March 10, 2014
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Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab, who reached the quarter-finals last year, beat Iran's Esteghlal 1-0 in their AFC Champions League Group A opener last month. |
Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab will look to keep up the winning habit after stunning two-time Asian champions Esteghlal in their AFC Champions League opener last month with a visit from fellow Group A Matchday One victors Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.
A goal from Imad Khalili just before the hour mark secured a surprise 1-0 victory for 2013 quarter-finalists Al Shabab in arguably the shock result of the first round of fixtures against the Iran champions in Tehran.
And with Walter Zenga's Al Jazira beating Qatar's Al Rayyan 3-2 in Abu Dhabi, the group's early leaders will meet at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.
"I'm really sad and disappointed by the performance we had in the match [with Al Rayyan] as I expected a better performance and it is my responsibility for the performance and the mistakes that we made during the match," said Al Jazira's Italian coach Zenga.
"The goals that we scored in the beginning of the match were perfect but the team turned defensive and I was personally not satisfied with the performance of some of the players and we must fix the mistakes that we made."
Esteghlal, meanwhile, will look to bounce back in Doha against an Al Rayyan side who beat Qatar SC 3-0 in the Stars League on Saturday thanks to two goals from Nigerian striker Kalu Uche.
In Group F, early frontrunners and 2013 finalists FC Seoul travel to the Chinese capital to face Beijing Guoan, while Australia's Central Coast Mariners entertain J.League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
FC Seoul got their continental campaign off to a winning start with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Central Coast two weeks ago, although Choi Yong-soo's side did lose Saturday's K-League Classic opener 1-0 at home to Jeonnam Dragons.
Beijing, who earned a 1-1 draw in Japan on Matchday One, were able to make a winning start to their domestic campaign at the weekend after beating Changchun Yatai 1-0 but will be without Croatian midfielder Darko Matic against FC Seoul due to suspension.
Central Coast will also be short a player when they host Hiroshima with Dutch defender Marcel Siep also suspended following his red card in the defeat against FC Seoul.
"Central Coast has some great new additions to the team, so I have no doubt that they will be difficult opponent," said Hiroshima coach Hajime Moriyasu.
Also in the East, a clash of champions sees Thai treble winners Buriram United take on Korea Republic's Pohang Steelers in Group E, while China's Shandong Luneng travel to Japan to face Cerezo Osaka.
Buriram are looking to build on their 1-1 draw with Shandong in China, which was secured thanks to a stoppage time strike from Adisak Kraisorn, having reached the quarter-finals last year, while K-League Classic champions Pohang are also seeking their first win of the campaign having fought back from a goal down against Cerezo to share a 1-1 draw last month.
But both sides did not enjoy ideal preparations at the weekend after Buriram were held to a goalless draw at home by Ratchaburi in the Thai Premier League, while Pohang began the defence of their domestic crown with a 1-0 home defeat by fellow AFC Champions League qualifiers Ulsan Hyundai.
Cerezo and Shandong, though, head into their contest following wins at the weekend after beating Tokushima Vortis 2-0 and Harbin Yiteng 1-0 respectively.
"Shandong finished second in the league last year, so they are definitely a force to be reckoned with," said Cerezo coach Ranko Popovic.
"Recently Chinese teams have raised their game, so it will be a tough match."
Finally in a tightly-balanced Group B, Uzbekistan champions Bunyodkor host Qatar's El Jaish in Tashkent while Iran's Foolad Khouzestan entertain Saudi Arabia champions Al Fateh after all four teams shared goalless draws on Matchday One last month.
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