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| Dalian Want Payback in Clash with Gamba |
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China's Dalian Shide face a crunch match today against Japan's Gamba Osaka and are out for revenge as the AFC Champions League race heats up. Group E is on a knife-edge as the teams prepare for their fourth match of the campaign with Gamba, Chonbuk Motors and Dalian all on six points and separated only by goal difference. With South Korea's Chonbuk expected to demolish the fourth club in the group, Da Nang of Viet Nam, the pressure is on the Chinese champions to down their J-League opponents. Only the top team from each group will progress to the quarterfinals, along with two-time defending champions Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia which has a bye. Dalian are second behind runaway leaders Shandong in the Chinese Super League after four successive victories and will fancy their chances of reversing their 3-0 defeat to Gamba a fortnight ago. "When we meet each other again later this week at our home, we'd like to pay this back to them," said Dalian coach Vladimir Petrovic. But Gamba are also in form and atop the J-League and know that victory over Dalian will likely make it a two-horse race with Chonbuk for a quarterfinal berth. "After playing all the three teams in the group, now our players have got some idea about the Asian Champions League," said Gamba coach Akira Nishino. "We have a chance to qualify for the next round if we can win our next match. But it is hard for me to imagine what the situation will be like in China. We could be under big pressure there." Elsewhere, Al Saad of Qatar will be out to reinforce their lead in Group D against Iraqi minnows Airforce while Saudi side Al Shabab take on Kuwait's Al Arabi. Al Ain, who won the inaugural AFC Champions League in 2003 and were runners-up last year, again play bottom club Al Mina in Group B who they beat 2-1 two weeks ago to top their table. Saudi giant Al Hilal have already guaranteed themselves a place in the 2007 tournament after winning the Crown Prince Cup and have the psychological advantage in their showdown with Uzbek outfit Mash'al. The Riyadh team trounced the Uzbeks 5-0 earlier in the competition and another rout is on the cards with Al Hilal in ominous form. In Group A, six-time Uzbek champions and group leader Pakhtakor challenge Iran's Foolad in Tehran while Al Qadisiya of Kuwait are up against Syrian minnows and basement club Al Ittihad. "Foolad are a very mobile team and the game in Iran should have a decisive bearing on who wins Group A," said Pakhtakor coach Valeri Nepomniatchi. Emirates league champions Al Wahda play Iran's Saba Battery and Syria's Al Karama take on Qatar's Al Gharafa in Group C. (China Daily April 26, 2006) |
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