AFC - Muscat: Debutants Esteghlal Khouzestan of Islamic Republic of Iran will face off against Saudi Arabia’s Al Fateh at Qaboos Sports Complex as Group B of the AFC Champions League gets underway on Monday.
After claiming their first Iran Pro League title in 2016, the Ahwaz-based side find themselves well off the pace in mid-table in the current campaign and threw away a two-goal lead to lose 4-3 to Paykan in their most recent league encounter on Tuesday.
Opponents Al Fateh will hope the continental competition comes as a welcome relief. Domestically they sit second from the bottom of the Saudi Professional League with less than half the season remaining and come into the clash on the back of a 2-0 reversal at the hands of Al Taawoun on Thursday.