Goals from Bafetimbi Gomis and Salem Al Dawsari, both heroes of Al Hilal’s 2019 AFC Champions League-winning side, proved decisive for the Saudi club, who have now reached the quarter-finals in five of the last eight editions of the competition.

While Leonardo Jardim’s side can look forward with optimism to the latter stages of the competition, Esteghlal’s defeat sealed their elimination from the tournament, ending their bid for a first Asian club title since 1991.

Goals from Bafetimbi Gomis and Salem Al Dawsari secured the 2019 champions a place in the quarter-finals for the fifth time in eight editions. 

Esteghlal, however, were not without chances and the complexion of the match may well have changed had the Islamic Republic of Iran Club pulled one back.

The match pits one of continental club football’s most successful sides up against a team that only made their AFC Champions League debut in the group stage in June as the tournament moves into its one-leg knockout stage format.

While Jeonbuk are aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the ninth time, BG Pathum are looking to become the first Thai side to advance to the last eight since Buriram United in 2013.

The 2014 edition was also the setting of the last time the two sides met in Asian action with the pair facing off in the group stage.

Japan’s Cerezo, who reached the 2011 quarter-finals, are participating in the AFC Champions League for the fourth time and 2009 winners Pohang Steelers of Korea Republic are making their eighth appearance and looking to reach the last eight stage for the third time.

Runners-up in two of the last three editions of the competition, the Iran Pro League champions have travelled to the Tajik capital to face an Istiklol side who emerged as the fairy-tale story of this year’s ACL group stage, pulling off a series of shock wins in their tournament debut in April.

With those heroics in mind, and an excited Dushanbe public ready to welcome ACL knockout stage football for the first time, Golmohammadi said he expects Persepolis to be seriously challenged at Central Republican Stadium.

Without a continental title since 1998, the Riyadh based club came agonisingly close in the previous edition of the competition, crashing out at the semi-final stage against Tractor’s domestic rivals Persepolis FC. Tractor, on the other hand, have never made it past the Round of 16, and a one-legged tie will appeal to them as they look to make club history.

The game will be the third time two Emirati sides have faced in the AFC Champions League, and the first involving either of the two sides. The two previous such occasions saw Al Ain involved, as they faced Al Jazira in the 2014 Round of 16 and Al Ahli at the same stage a year later.