Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: A look ahead to Wednesday's action in Groups C, D, G and H of this season's AFC Champions League.
Click here for all the AFC Champions League schedules, results and tables
Group C
Two-time Asian champions Al Hilal are currently top of Group C and will seek to strengthen that position when they play Al Sadd in Qatar on Wednesday.
Thanks to goals from Saud Kariri, Yousef Al Salem and Thiago Neves, the Saudis, who claimed the Asian Club Championship title in both 1992 and 2000, recorded a comfortable 3-1 win over Group Stage newcomers Lokomotiv on Matchday One, an impressive performance that head coach Ciprian Panait was quick to praise.
In Wednesday’s second Group C clash, Iranian champions Foolad Khouzestan, who drew 0-0 with Al Sadd in their opener despite being reduced to ten men when Mehdi Badrloo was dismissed, travel to Uzbekistan where they will lock horns with Lokomotiv.
Lokomotiv v Foolad Khouzestan
Abramov to ring changes as Lokomotiv seek first win
Al Sadd v Al Hilal
New Al Hilal boss Donis determined to clinch debut win
Group D
Current Group D leaders Nasaf from Uzbekistan face a potentially tricky tie on Wednesday when they play Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli in Jeddah.
The Uzbeks seized the early Group D initiative thanks to a 2-1 defeat of Iranian outfit Tractorsazi Tabriz – a win that came courtesy of goals from Ilkhom Shomurodov and Khamza Karimov, and which saw Nasaf claim their first-ever AFC Champions League victory having failed to win on their debut in the competition in 2012.
For their part, Al Ahli drew 3-3 with the UAE’s Al Ahli on Matchday One, with the latter now set to face Tractorsazi Tabriz at home in Dubai on Wednesday.
Tractorsazi Tabriz v Al Ahli (UAE)
Oliveira admits defence crucial for Tractorsazi’s Al Ahli test
Al Ahli (KSA) v Nasaf
Al Ahli to be without key trio for Nasaf clash
Group G
In Group G, Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds and Australian side Brisbane Roar will both be looking for their first AFC Champions League points of 2015 when they meet in Saitama on Wednesday.
Urawa were beaten 2-1 by Korea Republic’s Suwon Samsung FC on Matchday One, while Brisbane were undone by substitute Shao Jiayi’s stoppage time free-kick as Chinese Super League runners-up Beijing Guoan secured a 1-0 win at Robina Stadium.
In the night’s other Group G fixture, Beijing will entertain table-topping Suwon Samsung FC at the Beijing Workers Stadium.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Urawa Red Diamonds v Brisbane Roar
Petrovic backs Urawa to roar back to form against Brisbane
Beijing Guoan v Suwon Samsung FC
Beijing sweating over key quartet for Suwon tussle
Group H
The last two winners of the AFC Champions League title will go head-to-head on Wednesday when 2013 champions Guangzhou Evergrande travel to Australia to play reigning champions Western Sydney Wanderers in Parramatta.
Western Sydney opened their title defence in some style on Matchday 1 thanks to a notable 3-1 victory away at Kashima Antlers (pictured), while Guangzhou, who last week parted company with sporting director and former head coach Marcello Lippi, recorded a 1-0 win over FC Seoul.
Kashima will travel to the Korea Republic to face FC Seoul in the other Matchday Two Group H encounter.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Western Sydney Wanderers v Guangzhou Evergrande
Juric and Bulut primed to start for Western Sydney
FC Seoul v Kashima Antlers
FC Seoul looking to get back on track against Kashima Antlers
Photo: WSG