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AFC Champions League Match Day 6 Preview

 

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the final group games of the AFC Champions League 2013 will take place, with some teams’ fates already decided, whilst others still have it all to play for. 

Al Ain play their last Group D game against Esteghlal of Iran at the Tahnoun bin Mohamed Stadium at 7:50pm on Tuesday, and are the only one of our teams to play on UAE territory on the final group stage match day. Having been in a promising position to qualify to the final 16, Al Ain now have a tough task following last week’s disappointing 2-0 defeat away at Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. In order to make it out of the group, Al Ain will have to beat leaders Esteghlal and hope that Al Hilal lose away at Al Rayyan in order to stand a chance. 

Also on Tuesday night, Al Nasr travel to Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia in a match kicking off at 10pm UAE time at King Abdulaziz Sport City in Sharayea. Al Nasr have no hope of qualifying and have not picked up a single point in their five Group C games so far despite some strong performances, but an away result to end their AFC Champions League journey would add some more respectability to the campaign. Al Ahli, meanwhile, are top of the group with 13 points and have already guaranteed progression to the final 16 of the competition.

 

On Wednesday at 8pm UAE time, Al Shabab visit Pakhtakor in Uzbekistan in Group B at the Pakhtakor Stadium in Tashkent, and the Emirati side have engineered a real opportunity to qualify to the final 16 of the tournament after recording their second victory of the group stages – a 3-1 win over leaders Lekhwiya – last week. Although Al Shabab are bottom of the group on 6 points, the top-placed side are only 2 points ahead with 8, so a positive result at Pakhtakor could see Marcos Paqueta’s men go through.

To complete the UAE teams’ participation, Al Jazira head to the Kind Fahd International Stadium to take on Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia at 9:20pm UAE time on Wednesday. Al Jazira’s hopes of qualifying out of Group A were ended last week despite a 2-0 win over Tractorsazi Tabriz, so Luis Milla’s side will only be playing for pride in their final group match as they bow out of the competition. Their opponents Al Shabab, meanwhile, are top of the group and certain to qualify, though whether they go through as first or second-seeded side will depend on the result of this game.