AFC Champions League Elite:
Esteghlal, Tractor to face in-form Emirati opposition on matchday 3
Persian Gulf Pro League clubs Tractor SC and Esteghlal will take on in-form Emirati opponents when they resume action in the AFC Champions League Elite this week.
Tractor will play away to Al Ain at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Monday, while Esteghlal will face Shabab Al Ahli at Dubai’s Rashid Stadium the following day.
The two Iranian sides will enter matchday three on the back of contrasting fortunes so far in the continental club competition.
While Esteghlal has enjoyed a perfect start to the league stage, defeating Qatari opponents Al Sadd (3-0) and Al Gharafa (2-1), Tractor is searching for its first victory after opening the campaign with a 1-0 loss to Shabab Al Ahli, followed by a goalless draw against Qatar’s Al Shamal a fortnight ago at Muscat’s Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, which served as the Iranian side’s home venue for the match. Tractor sits 12th in the expanded 16-team West Zone table.
Al Ain and Shabab Al Ahli have also made a clean sweep of victories in the tournament and are joined by Esteghlal and Saudi heavyweight Al Hilal as the only teams with six points in the standings.
Al Ain hammered Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr 4-0 at home in its opener before comfortably beating Iraq’s Air Force SC 4-1 in Basra to go top of the standings on goal difference.
Shabab Al Ahli, meanwhile, followed its victory over Tractor with an impressive 2-1 win over Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ittihad in Jeddah, thanks to a first-half double by Iranian international striker Sardar Azmoun.
Azmoun was again on target when his team defeated Al Ain 2-0 last week to move second in the UAE Pro League table with 13 points, one behind Al Jazira and level on points with Al Wasl and Al Ain after six rounds of matches.
Shabab Al Ahli again emerged victorious over Al Ain in the domestic President’s Cup last Friday, with Iranian midfielder Saeid Ezzatollahi scoring twice from the spot in the first half before being sent off late in the game, as his side secured a 3-2 win after extra time.
Tractor head coach Javad Nekounam, who will have to do without injured goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, will hope to see his side build on a comfortable 3-0 victory over San’at Naft Abadan in the domestic top flight as it pursues its first continental win of the campaign.
Unbeaten across all competitions this season, Esteghlal, meanwhile, will look to improve on Friday’s 1-1 away draw against Chadormalou.