Iranian Teams to Meet Qataris in ACL Play-Offs
According To Iran News, Shahr Khodro and Esteghlal from Iran will play Qatari teams in the 2020 AFC Champions League one-legged Play-off Round on Tuesday.
One of the more intriguing clashes of the Play-offs Round sees Qatar’s Al Sailiya taking on Iran’s Shahr Khodro, with the winner to make its debut in the AFC Champions League’s group stage.
Al Sailiya finished third in the Qatar Stars League last year to move within a game of advancing to the Continental competition and boast Iranian international Karim Ansarifard within its ranks.
Shahr Khodro, meanwhile, came fourth in the Iranian Professional League and edged past Bahrain’s Riffa 2-1 in Preliminary Round 2 on Saturday.
The match will be held in Doha’s Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium.
After overcoming Kuwait SC 3-0 in Preliminary Round 2, Iranian powerhouse Esteghlal must now win away at Qatar’s Al Rayyan in order to return to the Continental competition.
Al Rayyan, meanwhile, is aiming to qualify for the 10th time although it has never been able to make it beyond the group stage.
The pair last faced off in the 2018 group stage, with the game in Doha ending 2-2 and Esteghlal winning 2-0 in Tehran as the Iranian side advanced and Al Rayyan exited.
The match will take place at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.
