Al Wahda take on Saba Battery

ABU DHABI - Al Wahda go into their AFC Champions League return leg with Iran’s Saba Battery intent in keeping the 100 per cent record of caretaker coach Richard Tardy and turning the 2-2 first round result to earn full points in tonight’s home match here at the Al Nahyan stadium. Kick off time at 7.40pm.

The Frenchman produced instant result after his takeover from compatriot Jean Francois Jodar last month. He led the Emirates league champions to a facile 2-0 win over Al Ahli in a top of the table clash and followed it up with a 5-0 thrashing of Al Shaab last Friday.

The double change of the technical staff, following the sacking of German Rainer Hollmann and Jodar within three months, seems to have worked some wonders with the players. Al Wahda’s frontline has started to fire again with Bosnian Slavisa Mitrovic, Angola international Maurito, and the UAE internationals pair Ismail Matar and Haider Alo Ali getting into the scoresheet in the last two games.

The midfield too seems to have picked up the momentum with the Juma brothers Abdulsalam and Abdulraheem, being in the thick of action, and the defence now more solid with a second Bosnian Branimir Bajic.

Al Wahda and Saba are tied for second in the group C on four points, two behind leaders Al Karama of Syria, who entertain Al Sadd of Qatar on the same night.

Tardy said, “We have had a couple of good games but returning to the ACL is a big change. We need to play better for the three points at home in order to keep our hopes alive in the competition.”

Saba’s charge for victory will be led once again by veteran striker Ali Daei, who scored in his club’s defeat against Pas and Coach Mohammad Hossain Ziaie is upbeat about his team’s hopes of success.

“We have the kind of players to perform in the big stage and this being a very critical match in the competition, I’m sure my players will raise their game for the three points,” said the Saba Battery coach after his team’s training session in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Saba have injury concerns over forward Babak Zolrahmi and defender Amir Reza Alvandipour but the coach brushed aside any fears they would cause any setback to his game plan. Group B leaders Al Ain will be hoping to retain their lead when they meet Al Mina’a of Iraq in Kuwait. Kick off at 9.15pm UAE time. Mohammad El Mansi said his team’s 2-1 league defeat to Al Shabab last Friday will not have any adverse effect on his team’s hopes of returning with three points against the Iraqi club, whom they beat 2-0 at home.

“Obviously we’ll be looking for three points as Al Mina’a seems to be the weakest of the four when one looks at the group standings. However, it doesn’t guarantee us three points. We’ll have to fight for it,” he said before the team’s departure on Monday.”

The injured Brazilian Kelly is likely to return with the in-form Serbia-Montenegro international Nenad Jestrovic, who scored both goals in their home triumph over Al Mina’a and missing the last league match due to a severe bout of flu.