AFC Champions League Two:
Tractor to pursue Asian dream at Al Taawoun
Persian Gulf Pro League leader Tractor will play away to Saudi Pro League side Al Taawoun in the second leg of their AFC Champions League Two quarterfinal today, hoping to remain on course for a maiden Asian silverware when the final whistle blows in Buraidah’s Wolves Park.
Both sides will have it all to play for following a goalless stalemate in Tabriz’s Yadegar-e Imam Stadium last week, with the Saudi outfit having goalkeeper Abdulquddus Atiiay for delivering a man-of-the-match performance to keep his side in the tie.
Head coach Dragan Skocic went on to rue Tractor’s lack of cutting edge, after the Iranian club registered 16 shots – six on target – in the first leg, but remained confident of his team’s chances of progressing to the semifinals.
“We had a strong rhythm, but unfortunately, we did not score. We showed how good a team we are and we are going to win the second leg,” the Croatian said in the post-match press conference.
The first-leg result marked a second goalless draw for Tractor in as many games – following an Iranian top-flight encounter with title rival Sepahan – but Skocic showed little concern, saying: “It doesn’t worry me. Whenever the players give everything they can on the field, I’m happy. I know we’ll have the same chances in the next game and I hope we write fate differently.”
Prolific striker Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh will be the player to watch in the Tractor colors – after being denied by Atiiay and the crossbar in the first leg – as he will be chasing a ninth goal in eight outings in the competition this season.
While Tractor had its domestic trip to Foolad Khuzestan postponed on Friday, Al Taawoun – eighth in the table – will be fresh from Saturday’s 3-0 home victory over 10-man Damac in the Saudi top flight.