Foolad and Saba Battery in AFC CL Matchday 2

Iran’s AFC Champions League representatives Saba Battery and Foolad both are still in the race for the Iranian Pro League title. However, with four games left in the season, only a complete crash by the top two teams Esteghlal and Pas will give them a real shot at winning the prize.

Despite their patchy performance in the domestic league, both teams started their AFC campaign with convincing victories. In Group C Saba defeated Al Gharafa of Qatar 2:0 while Foolad trashed their Group A opponents Al Qadisiya of Kuwait 6:0.

Today, Saba will host Syria’s Al Karama and Foolad will visit the other Syrian representative Al Ittihad.

On paper Foolad are heavy favorites, but the inconsistency that has plagued them all season may come to hunt them if they do not bring on their A game.

Saba Battery’s captain Ali Daei has promised nothing less than a victory, but his team may have more of a challenge ahead of them than they may have expected from the Syrian side which surprised Al Wahda of UAE with a 2:1 victory.