ACL 2020: Sepahan looking for second win

Tasnim – DOHA, Matchday Three of the 2020 AFC Champions League concludes on Tuesday with Iran’s Sepahan FC facing Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in Group D at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

Sepahan’s fortunes has drastically shifted from Matchday One to Matchday Two, having started the campaign off with a 4-0 defeat of former champion Al Ain FC before succumbing to a 3-0 loss at the hands of Al Sadd SC.

In turn, Al Nassr kicked its 2020 AFC Champions League journey off with a 2-2 draw against Al Sadd, before bagging all three points against Al Ain on Matchday Two with a 2-1 win.

Domestically, Al Nassr lost its Saudi Pro League title to rival Al Hilal, finishing second in 2019-20.

Meanwhile Sepahan ended the season fifth despite a blistering start that saw the team goes unbeaten in its first 15 matches in the Iran Pro League.

With a point separating the duo, a win is paramount to either side’s efforts of advancing to the Round of 16 before they meet again three days later.

The two sides have never met before in the AFC Champions League, with the Isfahan-based side representing the fourth Iranian opposition Al Nassr will have faced in the competition.

If Al Nassr does win, it will be its first victory against Iranian opposition in six attempts, a run that stretches all the way back to 2015, while Sepahan has lost its last three matches against Saudi opposition without scoring a single goal, conceding seven in the process.

The match will be held at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.