JEDDAH, 19 March 2008 — Saudi sides Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli resume their AFC Champions League campaign today. Ittihad are away to namesake Ittihad in Halab, Syria and Ahli at home to another Syrian club, Al-Karama, at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah.

The two Ittihad teams both enter the match with the momentum of first game victories.

The Jeddah-based Ittihad got their first full three points with a victory against Quruvchi Tashkent of Uzbekistan in a home match last week to be second on goal difference in Group A.

Syria’s Ittihad are first of the group with 3 points from one win against Sepahan of Iran 2-0.

Ittihad trained behind closed doors at the Al-Hamadaneya Stadium, which can hold up to 60,000 fans, after arriving in Syria.

Ittihad players are determined to come back to Jeddah with the three points under their collective belts. The two-time champions are expecting to have midfielder Manaf Abu Shgeer back in the lineup as he has recovered from injury. His addition to the team will add strength to the midfield line.

Al-Karama will be hoping to replicate their success during the 2006 season when they reached the final against Cheonbuk of South Korea. Karama lost 2-0 in the first leg match, won 2-1 in the second leg but lost on aggregate score of 3-2 giving the crown to the Korean Team.

After losing their first away match in Group C against Al-Sadd of Qatar by 2-0, Ahli club face another tough assignment.

The home team are under pressure to make peace with the fans and so is coach Nebusha who will have to find a way to win under threat of termination of his contract. Dissatisfied sectors from inside and outside the club have added their voices to the clamor for the head of Nebusha.

Ahli badly need the victory to head off early elimination from the competition. Ahli are banking on the 4-4-2 format and introduce Fabiano to play next to Malek Muaz.

Ahli have retained the services of star midfielder Tayseer Al-Jasim, who was away for a long time because of injury.

Al-Karama are first of the group after their 4-1 victory over Al-Wehda of UAE 4-1 in Syria. Al-Wehda will host Sadd in the second match of the group.