Tractor will step into the contest on the back of a goalless stalemate against Sepahan, though it was enough to keep Dragan Skocic’s side one point clear of the Isfahan-based outfit on top of the Iranian league table.
Al Taawoun, meanwhile, defeated Al Fateh 2-1 at home last time out but is stuck in mid-table in the Saudi top flight. Chasing a maiden Asian silverware, Tractor will expect a jam-packed crowd at the Yadegar-e Imam Stadium to push their side the extra mile as they seek a healthy advantage ahead of next week’s return leg in Buraidah’s Wolves Park.
Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh will be the player to watch in Tractor colors, having scored a remarkable eight goals in six outings to sit atop the leading marksmen’s chart of the competition alongside fellow-Iranian Sardar Azmoun, who plays for Emirati club Shabab Al Ahli.
Croatian Skocic, however, will hope his backline puts in a more solid performance after Tractor had to hold off a late fightback from Bahrain’s Al Khaldiya in a 3-3 draw on home soil in the previous round second leg to advance 5-4 on aggregate.
Al Taawoun had to work even harder to secure a quarterfinal spot, as its last-16 tie against Al Wakhrah SC of Qatar ended 4-4 on aggregate, before the Saudi club came out victorious 4-3 in the shootout.
Al Taawoun will draw confidence from their unbeaten away record in the competition this season, having won three and drawn once.