Qatar’s Al Sadd face Iran’s Esteghlal on Monday with a two-goal advantage after emerging as 3-1 winners in their AFC Champions League quarterfinal first leg in Tehran.
The 1989 and 2011 Asian champions Al Sadd are the firm favourites to advance after second-half goals from Akram Afif and the competition’s top scorer Baghdad Bounedjah helped them comfortably beat their Iranian opponents.
Esteghlal’s only semifinal appearance came in 2013. Although they came back from a losing position in the Round of 16 against domestic rivals Zobahan, the Iranian side will have to do so away from home and score at least three goals this time.
Al Sadd had started preparations for the game well in time. The players were earnestly going through their paces under Portuguese coach Jesualdo Ferreira, who is to announce the squad after the final training session on Sunday evening.
The Qatar internationals and ace Algerian striker Bounedjah joined the squad after their country commitments.
Al Sadd won four of their six matches while losing two en route to finishing second behind Iran’s Persepolis in Group C that also consisted of Uzbekistan’s Nasaf and the UAE’s Al Wasl.
The Wolves beat Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli 4-3 on aggregate in the Round of 16 to book their quarterfinal berth for the first time since 2014.
Spanish FIFA World Cup winner (2010) and two-time European Championship winner (2008 and 2012) Xavi Hernandez will seek to achieve what no other player has done before — complete an AFC Champions League-UEFA Champions League double.
Al Sadd captain Xavi won an incredible four UEFA Champions League titles with Barcelona before joining Al Sadd in 2015.
They also have in their ranks Spanish midfielder Gabi, who joined them from Atletico Madrid this season, Qatar international striker Hassan Al Haydous, South Korean midfielder Jung Woo-Young and Boualem Khoukhi.
Esteghlal, who reached Doha on Thursday and will also have their final training session on Sunday evening, topped a strong Group D which also had Al Ain, Al Hilal and Al Rayyan. They put it across domestic rivals Zob Ahan in the Round of 16.
Singapore’s Muhammad Taqi Jafari will officiate the match, assisted by Tzu Liang and Rony Koh Min. Litchman Krishnan will be the fourth official.
Source: qsl.com.qa