ACL 2017 MD5 – Group A: Esteghlal Tehran vs. Al Ahli [PREVIEW]

AFC – TEHRAN, First meets second in Tehran on Tuesday as Group A leaders Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates travel to Azadi Stadium to take on Esteghlal with both sides eyeing the win that would see them put one foot in the last 16 of the 2017 AFC Champions League.

Al Ahli got the better of the first encounter between the teams when they ran out 2-1 victors in February but after four games the sides remain level on seven points. The visitors will go into the clash full of confidence having not lost since late February and on the back of a 10-day break since defeating Al Wahda in the Arabian Gulf League in mid-April.

Hosts Esteghlal’s only defeat on the continent came against Al Ahli in what has been an otherwise impressive campaign to date. A second successive win in front of home support would make the two-time Asian champions strong favourites to advance to a first knockout phase since 2013.