Naif Muhammad Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The three Saudi representatives in the AFC Champions League – Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal – are facing tough tasks in the quarterfinals of the championships Wednesday. While Marcello Lippi's Guangzhou Evergrande of China takes on two-time winner Al-Ittihad at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium here, Al-Hilal meets Ulsan Hyundai in South Korea and Al-Ahli faces Iranian champion Sepahan in an away match. Ittihad qualified as topper in Group B with 16 points from five wins and one draw. Hilal also made the grade by topping Group D with 12 points from three wins and three draws. Whereas, with three wins, two draws and one defeat Ahli qualified for the quarterfinals after defeating Al-Jazirah of the UAE 4-2 in penalty kicks after both teams drew 3-3 in original time. The remaining match features Adelaide United against Uzbek title-holder Bunyodkor, as the Asian club championship resumes after a four-month break. The quarterfinals' second legs are on Oct. 2 and 3. But much of Wednesday's focus will be on Jeddah for the classic east-west match between Al-Ittihad and Guangzhou, pitting the competition's only double champion against the rich and ambitious newcomer from China. “All the teams are equal to us. The results of the past are in the past, but we can change the future and we are ready for that challenge," said Guangzhou captain Zheng Zhi. With back-to-back wins in 2004 and 2005, a runner-up finish in 2009 and a semifinal appearance last year, Al-Ittihad had the best record of any team in the 10-year-old championship, and is the only former winner left this season. Unbeaten in 20 matches since Spanish coach Raul Caneda arrived in February, Al-Ittihad has stamped its class in the championship. Guangzhou, meanwhile, was in the Chinese second division just two years ago but after huge investment by its owners, real estate company Evergrande, it has become the first Chinese team to reach the Asian quarterfinals since 2006. The club appointed Lippi in May and just a fortnight later the Italian, who led his country to its fourth World Cup triumph in 2006, was in charge when Guangzhou beat FC Tokyo 1-0 in the round of 16 to seal the last-eight berth. It continued to spend in the summer, hiring Paraguayan forward Lucas Barrios from German champion Borussia Dortmund, Korean defender Kim Young-kwon from Omiya Ardija and Chinese midfielder Huang Bowen from Jeonbuk Motors. The newcomers bolster a squad already featuring Argentine record signing Dario Conca, an attacking midfielder who became one of the world's best paid players when he joined Guangzhou last year. Al-Hilal is still chasing its first Champions League title, despite twice winning the competition's precursor, the Asian Club Championship, as well as the Asian Cup Winners' Cup. Ulsan, the only Korean club still standing, has fond memories of its previous home game against a Saudi club, a 6-0 thumping of Al-Shabab in the 2006 quarterfinals. Al-Ahli is making its first appearance in the quarterfinals since 2005. In the only quarterfinal not involving a Saudi club, Adelaide will look to extend its good record against Bunyodkor when it entertains the Uzbek champion at Hindmarsh Stadium. The Reds beat Bunyodkor 3-1 on aggregate to reach the 2008 final. And they got the better of them again this year when they won 2-1 in Tashkent and drew 0-0 in South Australia to advance as Group E winners. While Adelaide reached the final four years ago, no Australian team has lifted the trophy. K-League clubs have won nine continental championships in total, including two of the past three. “The K-League has a good pedigree in this competition and we want to continue that," said Ulsan captain Kwak Tae-hwi. “There is a long way to go before we think about that however and we know that Al-Hilal is a very strong team with a lot of experience in this competition." — With input from Agencies
