Abu Dhabi: Al Jazira will be looking to carry their impeccable domestic form to the continental stage on Monday when they take on Qatar’s Lekhwiya away in their AFC Chamions League Group B opener.
The Pride of Abu Dhabi are nine points clear at top of the Arabian Gulf League (AGL), having won eight games in a row. This will imbue Henk ten Cate’s men with the confidence that they can vastly improve on last year’s ACL showing when they earned just a solitary point.
Lekhwiya, meanwhile, will be desperate to improve on their last home game in the continental competition when they lost 4-0 to compatriots El Jaish in the 2016 last 16. Djamel Belmadi’s side, who will be without suspended defender Chico Flores, have failed to win their previous two Qatar Stars League fixtures but remain level on points with Al Sadd at the top of the standings.
The game kicks off at 5.50pm UAE time.
Also on Monday, Al Jazira’s AGL rivals Al Ahli are set to make their first appearance in the ACL since suffering a 1-0 aggregate defeat to Guangzhou Evergrande in the 2015 final when they host two-time Asian champions Esteghlal of Iran in Group A.
The reigning AGL champions have won their past three games domestically but remain nine points adrift of table-toppers Al Jazira. Coach Cosmin Olaroiu will likely hand Makhete Diop his first start in the competition after the prolific Senegalese striker joined the Dubai side from Al Dhafra earlier in the year.
Esteghlal, meanwhile, are on a fine run of form at home too, having won five Iran Pro League matches in a row, while they also claimed victory on their last visit to the UAE when they defeated Jazira 1-0 in the 2014 group stage. The game kicks off at 8.15pm UAE time.
On Tuesday, two other UAE sides – Al Wahda and Al Ain – begin their ACL campaigns away to Qatar’s Al Rayyan and at home to Iran’s Zob Ahan respectively.
