Tractor lands Bahrain’s Al Khaldiya in ACL Two knockouts
Iranian club Tractor will continue its quest for a maiden Asian glory with a last-16 tie against Al Khaldiya of Bahrain at the AFC Champions League Two.
The draw for the first knockout round took place in the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, where the 16 remaining teams discovered their fate in the continent’s second-tier club competition.
The Bahraini club – runner-up to Saudi side Al Taawoun in Group B – will host the Persian Gulf Pro League leader in first leg on February 11, with the second leg to be played in Tabriz’s Yadegar-e Imam Stadium seven days later.
Tractor was the comfortable winner of Group A with 10 points.
The winner of the tie will take on Al Taawoun or Qatari side Al Wakrah, which stood behind Tractor in the group table, in the quarterfinals.
Elsewhere in the last 16, Group C winner Sharjah FC was drawn against Al Hussein of Jordan, the Group D runners-up.
Spearheaded by Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun, Shabab Al Ahli, the second side from the UAE to advance to the knockout stage after sealing the Group D top spot, will meet Group C runners-up Al Wehdat – also from Jordan.
In the East matchups, Group E winner Sanfrecce Hiroshima of Japan will face Vietnam’s Nam Dinh FC, which completed its Group G campaign in the second spot, while Singapore’s Lion City Sailors FC, which topped a thrilling Group F, will square off against regional rival Muangthong United of Thailand, the Group H runners-up.
Group G winner Bangkok United of Thailand was drawn against Australia’s Sydney FC, which finished second in Group E, while two-time AFC Champions League winner Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC of South Korea will meet Group F runner-up Port FC of Thailand.
The last-16 round will be followed by the quarterfinals in March and semifinals in April, before the tournament culminates in a single-leg final on May 17, 2025.