Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Doha: Arbil coach Ayob Odisho is backing the former AFC Cup finalists to extend their recent run of form and secure a place in the quarter-finals with victory over newly crowned Lebanese champions Nejmeh on Wednesday.
Arbil defeated Al Nafat 1-0 in their latest domestic match on Friday to extend their recent record that has seen Odisho’s side move to the top of the Iraqi league while also finishing first in Group D of the AFC Cup.
Odisho’s side have recorded five wins in the AFC Cup this season, with their only defeat coming at the hand of Bahrain’s Al Riffa.
“We want to continue our good run in the competition, and that means we have to win the match against Nejmeh,” said Odisho.
“The competition is now very different from the group stage. The knockout stages require a completely different strategy.
“We have prepared the team very well for the match, but we will be playing against the newly crowned Lebanese champions.
“That means that we will be taking on strong opponents and I hope the players will give their best to win the match.”
Nejmeh, meanwhile, will look to build on winning the Lebanese Premier League title with a game to spare thanks to their 3-2 away win over Shabab Al Sahel on Saturday.
Coach Theo Bucker is boosted by the return of Abdu Nasser Hasan after the Syrian defender missed last month’s 1-0 win over Syria’s Al Jaish due to suspension, although the Group B runners-up will be without Abbas Atwi after the veteran midfielder injured his ankle against Shabab Al Sahel on Saturday.
“Even though the match will not be easy for us as we will be away from home, we are determined to get a good result,” said Nejmeh coach Bucker.
“We go into the match with great motivation after securing the league title recently.
“We will be playing against a strong team, who topped their group, and are also the leaders in the Iraqi league.
“But we will try our best and I think we can get the right result, especially as the players are in a good mentality right now.”