Backed by a capacity crowd at Karbala Sport City Stadium, Al Zawraa started on the front foot as Abbas tested Al Wasl goalkeeper Humaid Abdulla from range 17 minutes in, but the Emirati goalkeeper tipped the shot behind for a corner.

The home crowd were sent into raptures as Al Zawraa skipper Samal Saeed fired home the opening goal halfway through the opening period.

The defender capitalised on a poor headed clearance by Abdulla Jassim to take the ball on the half-volley with his left, leaving the goalkeeper watching as his thunderous strike nestled into the back of the net.

After a disappointing group stage exit last year, Al Hilal started their 2019 campaign with a bang, earning an important 1-0 win on the road against Al Ain last week to get off the mark.

Tuesday's encounter against Qatar's Al Duhail marks Al Hilal's first-ever continental match at their new home of King Saud University Stadium, which they had moved to in 2018.

Esteghlal and Al Ain had most recently clashed in the 2017 edition in the round of 16. Back then, Kaveh Rezaei gave the Iranian side a 1-0 win in Tehran, but an Omar Abdulrahman masterclass inspired the Emiratis to a 6-1 thumping in the return leg in Al Ain.

Since then, Rezaei and Abdulrahman have both left for pastures new. Esteghlal reached the quarter-finals in 2018, while Al Ain exited at the round of 16 last year.

Marat Bikmaev, back at the club for the first time since leaving in 2004, opened the scoring away at Persepolis as Pakhtakor eventually came away from the Islamic Republic of Iran with a credible 1-1 draw on Matchday One.

Pakhtakor, who have Odiljon Xamrobekov available again after suspension, have only twice faced Al Ahli in the competition – back in 2005 when they won 2-1 in Tashkent but lost 3-0 in Jeddah.

The Qatari side were edged out 2-1 on aggregate in the 2018 semi-final after the teams had also shared a win apiece in the group stage.

Despite their strong domestic form of late – Al Sadd sit top of the Qatar Stars League – the Doha club got off to a poor start on the continent as they lost 2-0 to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli last week, and they will be desperate to get points on the board in what is a tough-looking group.

With AFC Champions League firsts, a returning star and an intriguing match-up all part of this week’s action, the-AFC.com has picked out five things to look out for on Matchday Two.