AFC Champions League preview: Zobahan look to continue continental charge

Goal.com – ISFAHAN, On their return to the continental competition last Tuesday after a five-year absence, Mahdi Rajabzadeh scored in the first minute of the second half at Abdulla Bin Khalifa Stadium as Golmohammdi’s side recorded a 1-0 win over Lekhwiya in Doha.

And with all three Iranian teams proving successful on Matchday One, Golmohammadi is looking for more of the same when Zobahan play host to Lekhwiya at Foolad Shahr Stadium in the return meeting in Isfahan.

“This was the best possible start that we could thing of because winning against Lekhwiya is not easy and I’m happy with the performance of the players,” said Golmohammadi following the win over Lekhwiya.

“Winning the away match will give us a big push and hopefully we can maintain this advantage in the next match.”

Also on Group B on Tuesday, Bunyodkor entertain Saudi Arabian champions Al Nassr after the sides shared a thoroughly entertaining 3-3 draw in Riyadh on Matchday One.

AFC Young Player of the Year Dostonbek Khamdamov scored twice, but a late free-kick from veteran Hussain Abdulghani rescued a point for Al Nassr.

Elsewhere, Korea Republic’s FC Seoul will look to continue the form they showed in their eye-catching 6-0 win over Buriram United as they entertain Japanese champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Group F, while the Thai champions will hope to bounce back away to Shandong Luneng in China.

Buriram will, however, be without Suchao Nutnum after the captain was sent-off against FC Seoul and there is fitness doubts around striker Diogo.

“Before we lost Diogo, I think we played well. But after he got injured, our game was messed up so we changed our tactics, but it didn’t work,” said Buriram coach Alexandre Gama after the Brazilian was substituted after just 17 minutes.

“We also conceded goals and got a red card. This totally changed our game and made us play harder.

“So from now on, we have to start again and come back to fight. We still have a long way to go. We will do our best.”

Also in the East, Group E’s early pace-setters Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will aim to build on a solid start to their campaign as the K-League Classic champions travel to China to face Jiangsu FC after their opening 2-1 win over FC Tokyo, while the Japanese capital city club will host Vietnamese champions Becamex Binh Duong.

Binh Duong, though, will be without Cameroon striker Christian Amougou after the forward was sent-off in the 1-1 draw with Jiangsu.

Finally in Group A, Iranian champions Sepahan will look to the double over Al Nasr of the United Arab Emirates when they travel to Dubai after their 2-0 win in Isfahan last Tuesday, while Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad will be aiming to get their first win of the AFC Champions League campaign when they host Lokomotiv of Uzbekistan.

Al Ittihad, though, will be without striker Fahad Al Muwallad, while Lokomotiv’s Jasur Khasanov is also ruled out through suspension after the pair were both sent-off in the closing stages of last Tuesday’s 1-1 draw in Tashkent.