AFC - JEDDAH, Revenge is only part of the motive as Saudi Arabia champions Al Ittihad and J.League title holders Yokohama F Marinos return to action in the AFC Champions League this week as part of a full slate of games on Matchday Four.

While the two sides will be keen to avenge defeats sufffered against Iran's Sepahan and Korea Republic's Seongnam Chunma, respectively, a fortnight ago, they will also have an eye on improving their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals of Asia's biggest international club competition.

Only the top team in each AFC Champions League group will advance to the last eight of this year's tournament and that creates plenty of intrigue and drama for this week's fixtures, which are ostensibly the return legs of Matchday Three games played earlier this month.

This is especially so in Riyadh, where Al Ittihad will be looking to settle a score against Sepahan, who edged them 3-2 in Esfahan to end the Saudi side's perfect record in the tournament, leapfrogging them to the top of Group D. A home victory on Tuesday evening would return Ittihad to first place and put them well on course for the knockout stage.

Another key game takes place in Seongnam, as the home side take on Yokohama F Marinos knowing that victory will all but assure them of first place in Group G and a ticket to the quarter-finals. But having suffered a 2-1 reverse to the Korean champions in their own stadium just two weeks ago, the Marinos are expected to make things extremely difficult for their hosts as they seek a win to put themselves back into the race for top spot.

Elsewhere, Qatar Sports Club and Iran's Zob Ahan resume their tussle for top spot in Group A following their exciting 3-3 draw in Esfahan on Matchday Three, while newly-crowned Qatar league champions Al Sadd visit Kuwait, looking to exact revenge on Al Qadisiya for a 1-0 defeat in Doha.

In east Asia, Japan's Jubilo Iwata could put further distance between themselves and the rest of the chasing pack in Group E with another win against winless Shanghai Shenhua of China, while Chinese giants Dalian Shide can do the same in Group F against Indonesia's PSM Makassar.

 

GROUP A
Wednesday, April 21
Qatar Sports Club (QAT) v Zob Ahan (IRN)
Al Rayyan Stadium, Doha - 1930 hrs

Riffa (BAH) v Pakhtakor (UZB)
Sheikh Ali bin Mohammed Stadium, Muharraq - 1830 hrs

Qatar SC blew a glorious opportunity to steal a march on their Group A rivals as they let slip a 3-1 second half lead against Zob Ahan on Matchday Three to draw 3-3 in Esfahan, allowing the Iranian side to remain a point ahead of the Qataris in the group standings.

With home ground advantage this time around, the Qatari side will be seeking nothing less than a victory in order to leapfrog past Zob Ahan to the top of the table and put themselves into the driver's seat in the race to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Riffa and Pakhtakor meet for the first time after their Matchday Three clash was postponed to April 27 due to security concerns in Uzbekistan earlier this month. Both teams are not out of the reckoning yet but victory is essential if they hope to challenge Qatar SC and Zob Ahan for the lone AFC Champions League quarter-final spot.

GROUP D
Tuesday, April 20
Al Ittihad (KSA) v Sepahan (IRN)
Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, Jeddah - 2040hrs

Wednesday, April 21
Al Arabi (KUW) v Neftchi (UZB)
Sabah Al-Salem Stadium, Kuwait City - 1830hrs

Iranian league champions Sepahan claimed round one of their clash against Saudi titlists Al Ittihad with a crucial 3-2 win over the Saudi champions on Matchday Three.

There is still plenty to play for with just one point separating the two teams after three games, and the result of their clash on Matchday Four could have a huge bearing on deciding the team that ultimately advances to the last eight.

Al Arabi and Neftchi had their first encounter in Fergana postponed to May 26 as a result of the security concerns in Uzbekistan. Both teams have a game in hand over Ittihad and Sepahan, but Wednesday's encounter in Kuwait City is certainly a must-win encounter if either team harbours any hope of challenging the two front-runners for the quarter-final spot.