JDT currently prop up the Group E standings after losing 2-1 away to Shandong on Matchday Three and anything but a victory could see them eliminated from the competition with two games to spare.

But the hosts, who welcome Adam Nor Azlin back from suspension, produced a strong second-half performance in China – with Safawi Rasid scoring a wonderful goal – and go into the game on the back of a 3-1 victory over PKNS at the weekend which kept them top of the Malaysia Super League.

Stoppage-time goals from Takeshi Kanamori and Serginho saw the defending champions claim a 3-2 victory over Gyeongnam two weeks ago – having initially been 2-0 down – to remain two points clear at the top of the Group E standings.

Five points ahead of Wednesday’s opponents, Kashima would advance to the next phase if they win and Johor Darul Ta’zim fail to defeat Shandong Luneng in the day’s other Group E fixture.

Kashima, who will be without the suspended Tomoya Inukai and Koki Machida, warmed up for the game with a 1-0 victory over Vegalta Sendai in the J.League on Saturday.

With some teams looking to secure their places in the knockout rounds at this early stage and others aiming to keep their qualification hopes alive, the-AFC.com has picked out five things to look out for.

First up are the sides in Groups F and H, who will play their Matchday Four fixtures on Tuesday, before the remaining teams in Groups E and G round off the week’s action on Wednesday.

Having crossed the halfway line of the group stage, Matchday Four sees the sides that faced-off two weeks ago trading places with the reverse encounters kicking-off the second half of Groups A to D in West Asia.

Al Wahda had come from behind to defeat Al Rayyan 2-1 in Doha two weeks ago and top the group with six points. So, the return fixture offered a chance for the Qataris to catch their opponents.

The visitors came racing off the blocks and were in front within 120 seconds through Sebastian Soria.

The former Qatari international striker evaded his marker inside the box and headed home from Rodrigo Tabata’s free-kick to hand Al Rayyan an early lead.

Al Ittihad had won their previous encounter against Lokomotiv on Matchday Three thanks to an added-time penalty from Fahad Al Muwallad.

The winger was again the dangerman for the Saudi side. His 10th-minute corner kick found Brazilian forward Romarinho in plenty of space inside the Lokomotiv box, and the former Al Jazira striker converted the opener.

Lokomotiv looked to respond through Temurkhuja Abdukholikov, whose curling effort from the edge of the box went just over the crossbar three minutes after.