Now a veteran with over 70 international caps and seven and a half years in Germany, Uchida was just 20-year-old when Kashima Antlers reached the AFC Champions League quarter-finals for their first and, until this year, only time.

That last eight encounter, against Australia's Adelaide United, ended in a disappointing 2-1 aggregate elimination for the J.League club, but now, a decade later, Uchida and Kashima have the chance to go at least one better.

Ulsan Hyundai recorded a historic run of nine successive wins in the AFC Champions League six years ago and ended up taking the title home.

Now Al Duhail have matched the high of the Korean side, yet the teams took different paths in setting their records, and the Qatari club could well go on and extend their run.

Al Duhail travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran with a slender lead after Almoez Ali’s first-leg goal was enough to secure a 1-0 victory and a record-equaling ninth successive win in the competition for the Qatari side.

The first leg of the 2018 AFC Champions League quarter-finals produced two wins for the home sides and as many for visitors. But the competition's history shows the four winners there can be no room for complacency following a first leg victory.

The quarter-finals were introduced in the AFC Champions League back in 2004, and since then we have witnessed some iconic returns after disappointing first leg ties, the-AFC.com recalls three extraordinary comebacks ahead of the second legs.

When Dalian Shide's Hao Haidong was crowned the first top scorer of the AFC Champions League era in 2003, few might have expected it would take six years before anyone could break his record of nine goals in a single tournament.

In 2009, Leandro's Gamba Osaka was the first to do so by getting into double digits, with his tally being surpassed by five other men since.

Speaking exclusively to the-AFC.com, Xavi expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance at the Azadi Stadium, adding that Al Sadd were much better than their hosts.

"I think we did well but there's one more game," said the 38-year-old World Cup winner. "It could be just 90 minutes or it could even go to extra time. We don't know; in football, we never know.

"At least, we did a really good job in Tehran. It was a very good performance and I think we were much better than Esteghlal, especially in the second half. Also, in the first half, we could have scored at least one goal."

I am happy with our attacking intent. This is the fifth match I scored two goals, but nothing is over yet. We went 50% of the way, but there is another 50% to go in Doha in the return leg.

Baghdad Bounedjah may be the 2018 AFC Champions League's leading scorer, but the Al Sadd striker is intent on avoiding complacency, despite the side holding a 3-1 advantage over Esteghlal after the first leg in Tehran.