Must-win game for Ittifaq
The Asian Champions League has resumed with a very important round for Hilal and Ittifaq while Ahli and Shabab are both a cinch for the second round. As of press time, Hilal's match against Al-Ain of the UAE has not started and the pressure lies heavily on the Riyadh-based squad. I can only hope that by the time this column is published, Hilal is celebrating and getting ready for the second round. Also last night, Ahli was to play Al Gharafa of Qatar but, unlike Hilal, faces no pressure having qualified for the knockout stage two weeks ago by beating Iran champion Sepahan 4-1 in Jeddah.
It’s another case for Ittifaq, which is even more desperate than Hilal. Its match tonight against Pekhtakor from Uzbekistan in Dammam is a must-win one. Shabab, on the other hand, is similar in position with Ahli except that they failed to get a full mark. Nevertheless, they currently hold the No. 1 position in their group and luckily their match is as easy as Ahli's.
For some good news, it is now official: Fateh, Hilal and Shabab will participate in next year's Asian Champions League. For Nassr to make the ACL lineup depends on either one of the three teams winning the King's Cup this year.
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