Al Fateh look to open ACL account

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Saudi champions Al Fateh shared a goalless draw with Qatar's El Jaish on Matchday Three of the AFC Champions League.

Al Fateh's first-ever AFC Champions League campaign has not gone to plan with the Saudi champions the only team yet to score in this year's tournament, and they occupy last place in Group B with a tough trip to face joint leaders El Jaish in Doha next week.

Al Fateh followed up their goalless draw against Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor with a 1-0 defeat by Foolad Khouzestan of Iran before once more sharing another 0-0 stalemate on Matchday Three against El Jaish at home.

They now find themselves in last place in Group B with just two points, three less than front-runners Foolad and El Jaish.

"We tried our best to get a good result, but we were unlucky," said Al Fateh coach Fathi Al Jabal after their first meeting with El Jaish in Al Hassa two weeks ago.

"We wanted to get to the goal of our opponents and we created some chances to score, but we failed to convert those chances into goals.

"But despite the result, we still have a chance; we must concentrate in the next three matches and get positive results, starting from the next match against El Jaish in Doha."

Al Jabal's chances of taking at least a point back to Al Hassa are boosted with the absence of El Jaish's Brazilian centreback Anderson Martins through suspension.

After being eliminated in the Round of 16 last year, two-time semi-finalists Bunyodkor are also in danger of failing to progress beyond the group stage of the AFC Champions League for the first time after also picking up just two points from their opening three games.

In their last outing, the Uzbekistan champions only managed to rescue a point against Foolad courtesy of a stoppage time equaliser from Vokhid Shodiev in Tashkent.

"The next match will be the most important for us," said Bunyodkor coach Mirdjalal Kasimov of next week's trip to Iran.

"If we lose or draw we will not have chance to qualify for the next stage."

A difficult task against an unbeaten Foolad is exacerbated by the suspension of captain and centreback Hayrulla Karimov, although the Iran Pro League high flyers will also be without promising midfielder Shahab Karami.

In Group D, Al Hilal have a similarly tough matchup when the last-placed Saudis host unbeaten leaders Al Sadd of Qatar.

In their previous meeting a fortnight ago, the two sides played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in Doha and the margin for error will again be slight as just three points separate the two sides.

Undefeated Al Ahli occupy second place in the group and face a return contest against third placed Sepahan of Iran in the evening's other fixture, with the Iran Pro League side travelling to Dubai looking to avenge their 2-1 home defeat to the Emirati club on Matchday Three.

In the East, last year's finalists FC Seoul will look to take a positive result from their second meeting with Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

Hiroshima ended their eight-game winless in the AFC Champions League two weeks ago with a win over the 2013 runners-up to leapfrog the K-League Classic side into second place in Group F.

Central Coast Mariners, meanwhile, will look to return to winning ways when they host Group F leaders Beijing Guoan, who will be without Zhang Chengdong due to suspension.

The A-League side gave undefeated Beijing a scare with a late goal in the Chinese capital in their 2-1 defeat on Matchday Three, and they will be hoping for another shock win at home after they defeated J.League champions Hiroshima at Central Coast Stadium on Matchday Two.

Fellow Chinese Super League side Guizhou Renhe, meanwhile, will welcome Ulsan Hyundai to Guiyang in Group H.

Although Guizhou lie six points adrift of their Korean visitors, they will take heart from their 1-1 draw in Ulsan that ended the K-League Classic side's 11-game winning streak two weeks ago.

Also in Group H, Kawasaki Frontale entertain Western Sydney Wanderers with the home side looking to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat in Australia.

Finally, the fixtures in Group C will be split over Tuesday and Wednesday with Emirati leaders Al Ain first taking on Tractorsazi Tabriz before Al Ittihad host Lekhwiya the following evening.

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