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Al Jazira need to overtake Esteghlal to proceed to AFC last 16

 

UAE Football Team Al Jazira will host their Iranian counterpart Esteghlal on Wednesday, April 18 at Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi in the 2012 AFC Champions League 4th  round match, kick off at 7: 45pm. The hosts are currently sitting on top of Group “A” with nine points after emerging winners in all three matches played so far, followed by Esteghlal in second position with four points and Al Rayan of Qatar in third place after collecting three points while the Uzbek team Nasaf are classified at the bottom of the table with only one point.

Al Jazira will have back their Australian defender Lucas Neil who did not take part in the third round game played in Tehran due to suspension along with Argentinean Delgado and Subait Khatir who did not play against Al Shabab in the last round of the Etisalat Pro League match.

A win in tomorrow’s encounter will help Al Jazira to qualify officially to the last 16 with a balance of 12 points where they will take on the second-placed team in Group “C” at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The visitors will face their hosts with high morals following an easy 3-0 win over Saba Batri in a local league match played last Friday. But they are not going to forget their 1-2 historical loss to Al Jazira on their home ground.

It is worth mentioning that the AFC has selected officials from Japan to lead the match, while Monem Fakhori from Jordon will be the match commissioner.