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Four UFL teams set to play decisive matches in AFC Champions League

 

The four UAE teams participating in the AFC Champions League are set to continue their battle this week in the hopes of adding valuable points to their current tallies.

Al Wahda, Al Jazira and Emirates will play their third game in the competition against their Saudi counterparts, whilst Al Ain will play its second game in China where they face Hangzhou Green Town (their second round match against Nagoya Grampus of Japan was postponed due to the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan).

Al Wahda will host Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, April 5 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi, with kick off at 8:20pm. They currently have two points which sees them in third position of Group 3 after being held to a 1-1 draw by FC Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan in their opening encounter,  followed by a second draw against Piroozi of Iran in Iran.

In tomorrow's match, Al Wahda will welcome Brazilian Hugo, Hydar Alo Ali, Mahmoud Khamis, Saeed Al Kathiri and Khalid Jalal back to their squad. as Coach Hickersberger was too afraid to field them in their last Etisalat Pro-League match against Al Ain so as to avoid them collecting a third yellow card as this would have meant that they would not be able to play against Al Jazira in the President's Cup final on April 11..Their opponents Al Ittihad arrived in Abu Dhabi last Saturday without their dynamic player Mohammad Nour who will not play tomorrow due to head injury. The visitors, who are sitting on top of the Group 1 after collecting full points with two wins, will conduct their last training session this evening at the match venue. Referees from Qatar will officiate tomorrow night's match.

In the second match of the day, Al Jazira will battle it out against Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia at Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz in Riyadh. The visitors currently have a single point thanks to a goalless draw against Al Gharafa of Qatar, but this was before a humiliating defeat to Sepahan of Iran 5-1. Al Jazira left for Riyadh on Saturday without a number of their key players who are being rested in preparation for the President's Cup final game. The team will miss the efforts of Brazilian player Bare, his countryman Ricardo De Oliveira, Argentinean Matías Delgado, SubaitKhatir, Hilal Saeed, Khalid Sabeel, Abdullah Mousa amongst others in tomorrow night's match.

The UAE teams will conclude their third round struggle in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, April 6 when Al Ain take on HangzhouGreen Town of China in Group 6, with kick off at 4pm UAE time. Emarats Club will then face Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia in their Group 4 match at King Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh at 9pm UAE time.

Al Ain has played only one match since the start of the AFC Champions League Competition after their match against Nagoya of Japan was postponed, which they lost to Seoul of South Korea thanks to a lone goal.. Al Ain will stay in China after the game before they fly to Japan on April 10 to meet Nagoya Grampus in the rescheduled match on April 12.

After losing to Zobahan of Iran 1-2 at Tehran Stadium, Emarats Club compensated for this loss in the second round by beating Al Rayyan of Qatar 2-0. The team's delegation will leave this evening for Riyadh after conducting a training session at their home pitch.