Al Ain team put itself in a difficult position in the AFC Champions League for the Elite, after it returned from Uzbekistan, the day before yesterday, with a draw that resembled the taste of a loss against Pakhtakor (1-1), making the defending champions face a major dilemma to overcome the group stage and reach the second round of the tournament, after becoming He has only two points (in 11th place) two rounds before the end of the first round, as he will face Al-Rayyan of Qatar on the third of next February, and Al-Shorta of Iraq on the 17th of February, in the seventh rounds. And the eighth in a row.
Al-Wasl (UAE), Al-Hilal, Al-Nasr, Al-Ahly (Saudi Arabia) and Al-Sadd (Qatar) clubs reserved their seats in the second round, while seven clubs, namely Al-Ain, Al-Gharafa and Al-Rayyan of Qatar, Esteghlal and Persepolis of Iran, Al-Shorta of Iraq, and Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan, are fighting to reserve the remaining three seats for the tournament. Group stage for teams in the West of the continent.
Al Ain failed to achieve any victory during the six matches it played in the tournament, as it lost with two draws and lost in four matches. It also conceded 18 goals (the weakest defense line), while scoring 10 goals (the fourth strongest attacking line), behind Al Hilal, Al Ahly and Al Nasr.
It is no longer enough for Al Ain to achieve victory in the remaining two matches only. Rather, it will be waiting for the results of the remaining matches to determine its position on qualification or farewell from the group stage, as it needs the Iraqi Police Club, the Uzbekistan Pakhtakor Club, the Qatari Al Gharafa and Al Rayyan Clubs, and the Iranian Persepolis and Esteghlal Tehran Clubs to stumble in the two confrontations. The remaining two, to join the finalists.
Al-Shorta, which is in last place with two points, will play in the next round against Iranian Esteghlal, while it will meet Al-Ain in the last group league match, while Al-Rayyan of Qatar (five points) will come to Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium to meet Al-Ain in the next round, while Esteghlal will host Iran on In the final round, Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan (four points) will enter into a clash with two clubs from Qatar, as it will play against Al-Gharafa outside its stadium, and will receive Al-Sadd, which officially qualifies. In Tashkent.
As for Iranian Persepolis, which is in sixth place (six points), its task will be the most difficult, as it will face Al-Hilal, which is in first place, and Al-Nasr, which is in third place, who officially qualify for the second round, and on the other hand, the task of its compatriot Esteghlal, which is in eighth place (five points), will be less. Difficulty, as he will play against Al-Shorta of Iraq and Al-Rayyan of Qatar.
Although Al-Wasl officially secured its place in the second round of the Elite League, before the remaining two matches, against Al-Nasr and Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia, it came out with a strange paradox, as it was unable to achieve any victory on its home field out of the three matches it played at Zabeel Stadium, settling for a draw. Positive with Al-Sadd and Al-Rayyan, with the same score 1-1, and lost to Al-Ahly Saudi Arabia 0-2.
But Al-Wasl rose up in a big way outside of home, as it succeeded during its first appearance in the Elite League in defeating Pakhtakor with an unanswered goal, and snatched a well-deserved victory over Al-Gharafa with a score of 2-1, and beat Al-Shorta of Iraq 3-1.
Al-Wasl scored eight goals during the six matches it played in the tournament, as it did not miss scoring except in the match with Al-Ahly Saudi Arabia, while it conceded only six goals, and came away with a clean sheet in one match, which was against Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan.
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