News Center

Bani Yas in a historic game; Al Jazira, Al Nasr and Al Shabab are in “beyond question” matches

 

The curtain of the 2012 AFC Champions League first round matches will be pulled down today and tomorrow when Bani Yas host their Uzbek counterpart Pakhtakor, while Al Jazira traveled to Doha to take on the Qatari side Al Rayyan, Al Shabab will face Piroozi from Iran and the UAE team Al Nasr will meet Lekhwia of Qatar at the latter’s stadium in Doha.

The Bani Yas v Pakhtakor encounter which will be played in Al Shamkha on Wednesday, May 16 is considered to be the most important of these games. The hosts have collected 8 points so far and need one more point to qualify officially to the second round of the competition, while their Uzbek rivals Pakhtakor have7 points. The Saudi side Al Ittihad, leaders of Group “B”, have secured a berth earlier with 13 points liable to be increased, whereas Al Arabi of Qatar are classified at the bottom of the group and are yet to open their account.

The other Qatari squad Al Rayyan will host UAE side Al Jazira in Doha on Wednesday May 16. The visiting team are on top of the table of Group “A” with 13 points and tomorrow’s game is just a (beyond question) match for them, but the hosts who are taking third position with only 6 points need to win and then wait for the outcome of the other game between the Iranian second-placed team Esteghlal with 8 points and the Uzbek side Nasaf at the bottom of the table with one point.

Dubai-based Al Shabab will take on Piroozi of Iran tonight at their home ground. The home team are trying to avenge for their 1-6 big loss to their rivals in the first leg match played in Tehran and at the same time boost their morals prior to their Etisalat Cup final game against Al Ahli on May 21.

On the other hand one point will be sufficient to make Piroozi’s dreams come true and help them to qualify to the next stage irrespective of the outcome of the other match between the Saudi team Al Hilal and their Qatari components Al Garafa.

Lekhwia of Qatar and UAE side Al Nasr will also play today evening at the formers’ Stadium in their last match in the group stage. Both of them are out of contention after Lekhwia collected 6 points from five games against three points for Al Nasr to take 3rd and 4th spots in Group “C” respectively. Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia and Sepahan of Iran have both made it successfully to the next phase with 10 points each and will meet today in Tehran to determine the leaders of Group “C”.