Buoyant Al Wahda take on Tractor FC as Al Duhail SC face Al Ahli challenge

Tractor FC will tread carefully when they welcome Al Wahda FC to the Yadegar-E-Imam Stadium for their AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 tie on Monday.

UAE’s Al Wahda kicked off their campaign with a stunning 2-1 defeat of Saudi Pro League champions Al Ittihad Club while Iran’s Tractor had to share points with Shabab Al Ahli in a 1-1 draw.

Despite Al Wahda’s Matchday One heroics, the record books are firmly in Tractor’s favour with the Tabriz-based side unbeaten in home games against teams from UAE in the competition (W4 D2).

Scoring in continental matches at home has also not been an issue with Tractor having scored in each of their last nine AFC Champions League games at home. They, however, have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last four such games, winning just one (D1 L2).

Al Wahda have not been successful in their previous trips to Iran, having drawn twice and lost four while their win against Al Ittihad was their first victory in an opening tie on the continental stage since 2007.

Despite the odds, the win against Al Ittihad was a morale booster and Al Wahda will head into the tie brimming with confidence.

Al Duhail SC meet Al Ahli SFC: Al Duhail SC will be hoping for a better outcome when they face Al Ahli Saudi FC on Monday.

The Qatari side suffered a 2-1 defeat to another side from Saudi Arabia - Al Hilal SFC - in their opener while defending champions Al Ahli turned on the power in the second half to erase a two-goal deficit and walk away 4-2 winners against PFC Nasaf.

While Al Duhail would have been disappointed to not - at the very least - taken a share of the points against Al Hilal, they would have drawn plenty of encouragement from their performance.

The last time the two sides met was in the semi-finals of the 2022 edition, with Al Hilal cruising to a 7-0 win. Al Ahli and Al Duhail have previously met four times, with the Qatar’s side’s only win coming on home soil.

Al Ahli, however, are on a 19-match unbeaten run on the continental stage and avoiding defeat on Monday will see them equalling Al Hilal and Ulsan HD’s record.

They have also won their last eight AFC Champions League Elite matches and their awesome arsenal - as shown against Nasaf - indicates that Al Duhail will have to be braced for a tough 90 minutes.

PFC Nasaf host Al Hilal: PFC Nasaf will be determined to avoid the experience of their previous match when they host Al Hilal.

The Uzbekistan side led 2-0 before succumbing to a 4-2 defeat against defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC and have to brace themselves for another stiff test at the Markaziy Stadium.

While Nasaf will be facing Al Hilal for the first time, their record against teams from Saudi Arabia is underwhelming - having won just once in eight meetings with their last four matches ending in defeats.

Nasaf, however, are unbeaten in their last 11 AFC Champions League games at home (W5 D6), having kept a clean sheet in six of these matches and not conceding more than one goal in any of the others.

They will have to be defensively resolute against an Al Hilal side who have won their first away games in each of their last five AFC Champions League campaigns.

The four-time Asian champions, however, are not firing on all cylinders - needing to come from behind to beat Qatar’s Al Duhail SC 2-1 in their opening continental match two weeks ago.

Their domestic form has also been not at their usual standards, having kicked off their campaign with two wins and two draws but Nasaf will do well to keep in mind Al Hilal always rise to the occasion on the continental stage.

Al Gharafa SC meet Al Shorta: Al Gharafa SC and Al Shorta will be equally determined to obtain maximum points when they face off on Monday.

Al Gharafa suffered defeat in their opening tie while Al Shorta had to settle for a point.

Victory was snatched from Al Gharafa right at the death on Matchday One, with UAE’s Sharjah FC scoring twice in stoppage time to consign the Qatari side to a 4-3 defeat.

It was a heartbreaking loss and Al Gharafa, who failed to advance from the League Stage last season, will count on home ground advantage to see off the challenge of Al Shorta.