Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Former winners Al Sadd headline the eight teams competing in the AFC Champions League Play-offs (East) on Tuesday with four places in the competition’s Group Stage up for grabs.
Bunyodkor v Al Jazira
Winners to go in Group A along with Al Nassr, Lekhwiya and Persepolis
Formed in 2005, Bunyodkor have reached the Knockout Stage in all seven of their AFC Champions League appearances since 2008. However, they will need to get through their Play-off clash with the UAE’s Al Jazira to qualify for the Group Stage in 2015 after finishing a disappointing fourth in the Uzbek League and losing to Lokomotiv in the Uzbek Cup final. The 2015 domestic season in Uzbekistan has yet to begin.
How they qualified: Uzbek League fourth place
Past ACLs: 2008 – Semi-Finals; 2009 – Quarter-Finals; 2010 – Round of 16; 2011 – Round of 16; 2012 – Semi-Finals; 2013 – Round of 16; 2014 – Round of 16
Al Jazira finished third in the UAE Pro League in 2014 to earn a chance to qualify for the AFC Champions League Group Stage for a seventh consecutive time through the Play-offs. The Abu Dhabi club reached the last 16 in 2014 but were eliminated by local rivals Al Ain 4-2 on aggregate. Al Jazira currently lead the way in the UAE top-flight.
How they qualified: UAE Pro League third place
Past ACLs: 2009 – Group stage; 2010 – Group stage; 2011 – Group stage; 2012 – Round of 16; 2013 – Group stage; 2014 – Round of 16
Naft Tehran v El Jaish
Winners to go in Group B along with Pakhtakor, Al Shabab and Al Ain
Naft Tehran went close to winning a maiden Iran Pro League title in 2014 but just missed out after losing 1-0 at Sepahan in their final game to finish third, three points behind champions Foolad Khuzestan. It was their highest-ever league finish and earned them a spot in the AFC Champions League Play-offs – their first ever appearance in Asia’s premier club competition. They are currently top of the Iran Pro League, two points ahead of Esteghlal.
How they qualified: Iran Pro League third place
No previous AFC Champions League appearances
Qatari Armed Forces side El Jaish reached the Round of 16 on their AFC Champions League debut in 2013 but narrowly missed out on the Knockout Stage in 2014. They have finished in the top-three in the past three Qatar Stars League seasons and are in the Play-offs after finishing runners-up behind Lekhwiya in 2014. They beat Oman’s Al Nahda 2-1 in the second Preliminary Round to set up their meeting with Naft Tehran, and are currently third domestically, nine points off league leaders Al Sadd after beating second-placed Lekhwiya 2-0 on Saturday.
How they qualified: Qatar Stars League runners-up
Past ACLs: 2013 – Round of 16; 2014 – Group Stage
Al Wahda v Al Sadd
Winners to go in Group C along with Foolad Khouzestan, Lokomotiv and Al Hilal
Al Wahda are in the AFC Champions League Play-offs after finishing runners-up in the UAE Pro League in 2014. The Abu Dhabi club have made five previous appearances in the tournament and reached the quarter-finals in 2004 and the semi-finals in 2007. They are currently flying high domestically, with Friday’s 3-1 win over Bani Yas seeing them move to third in the UAE’s top-flight.
How they qualified: UAE Pro League runners-up
Past ACLs: 2004 – Quarter-Finals; 2006 – Group Stage; 2007 – Semi-Finals; 2008 – Group Stage; 2010 – Group Stage
Winners of the AFC Champions League in 2011, Al Sadd won a remarkable second Preliminary Round penalty shootout 11-10 against Bahrain’s Riffa to get this far. They qualified for the 2015 play-off stage after trouncing Al Sailiya 3-0 in the Emir Cup final. The Doha club won the Asian Club Championship in 1989 and were crowned the continent’s top club again three years ago when they beat Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors on penalties in the final. They are currently top of the Qatar Stars League.
How they qualified: Qatar Emir Cup winners
Past ACLs: 2003 – Group Stage; 2004 – Group Stage; 2005 – Quarter-Finals; 2006 – Group Stage; 2007 – Group Stage; 2008 – Group Stage; 2010 – Group Stage; 2011 – Champions; 2014 – Quarter-Finals
Al Ahli v Qadsia SC
Winners to go in Group D along with Al Ahli, Tractosazi Tabriz and Nasaf
Jeddah-based Al Ahli will have to negotiate the AFC Champions League Play-offs after finishing third in the Saudi league and losing in the King’s Cup final to Al Shabab in 2014. Their best performance to date in the AFC Champions League was an appearance in the 2012 final, which they lost 3-0 to Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai. Al Ahli will head into their clash with Qadisa occupying second place in the 2015 Saudi Pro League.
How they qualified: Saudi Pro League third place
Past ACLs: 2003 – Preliminary Round; 2005 – Quarter-Finals; 2008 – Group Stage; 2010 – Group Stage; 2012 – Runners-up; 2013 – Quarter-Finals
Qadsia SC overcame Jordan’s Al Wehdat 1-0 in the second Preliminary Round to book their showdown with Al Ahli. Qadsia won their 16th Kuwaiti league title in 2014 and rounded off a successful year by beating Iraqi side Arbil on penalties to win the AFC Cup for the first time. They have a good record in the AFC Champions League, reaching the semi-finals in 2006 and the quarter-finals two years later but lost 3-0 to Qatar’s El Jaish in the 2014 Play-offs.
How they qualified: Kuwait Premier League winners
Past ACLs: 2004 – disqualified; 2006 – Semi-Finals; 2008 – Quarter-Finals; 2014 – Play-offs
Photo: AFP