ACL: Juicy encounters in offing

AFC – KUALA LUMPUR, Two former champions will battle it out with their domestic counterparts in the AFC Champions League Round of 16 this month.

Two-time winners Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad, who topped Group C, will host arch-rivals and Saudi League champions Al Hilal in the one-off tie on May 24 while 2008 champions Japan’s Gamba Osaka will meet Cerezo Osaka on the same day.

Gamba, who defeated their city rivals 2-1 in J-League in March this year, will be aiming for another shot at the continental glory.

All the four teams from Saudi Arabia – Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Shabab and Al Nassr – and Japan – Gamba Osaka, Cerezo Osaka, Kashima Antlers and Nagoya Grampus – have made it to the second stage of the competition.

Korea will have three teams – FC Seoul, Suwon Bluewings and former winners Jeonbuk Motors – in the Round of 16 with the exception of Jeju United while Iran will be represented by Sepahan and Zob Ahan. China, Uzbekistan and Qatar will have one team each.

Sepahan will host Bunyodkor with an aim to avenge their defeats at the hands of the Uzbek champions in the group stages of 2008 and 2009 editions of the tournament.

2006 champions Jeonbuk Motors will host China’s Tianjin Teda on May 24.

Two Korea-Japan clashes will be the highlight the next day when FC Seoul play hosts to Kashima Antlers and Suwon Bluewings meet Nagoya Grampus. In other matches of the day, Qatar’s Al Sadd will host Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab while Zob Ahan will face Al Nassr.

THE SCHEDULE

May 24

Sepahan (Iran) vs Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan)
Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) vs Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Gamba Osaka (Japan) vs Cerezo Osaka (Japan)
Jeonbuk Motors (Korea Republic) vs Tianjin Teda (China)

May 25

Al Sadd (Qatar) vs Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia)
Zob Ahan (Iran) vs Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia)
FC Seoul (Korea Republic) vs Kashima Antlers (Japan)
Suwon Bluewings (Korea Republic) vs Nagoya Grampus (Japan)