AFCL - Foolad midfielder Adel
Kolahkaj has set his sights on ending the club's AFC Champions league
campaign with a win despite the Iranian side's poor showing in this
year's tournament.
Victory over Syrian side Al Ittihad would move Foolad off the bottom of
the standings in Group A and Kolahkaj and his team mates are aiming to
pick up only their second win of the competition.
"We all know that winning or losing the game makes no difference for us,
but we've still got a great deal of determination to defeat Al Ittihad,"
said the 21-year-old.
"We can at least make Khuzestan's football fans happy by winning the
game. Nothing is clear, but we will undoubtedly try to outplay the
Syrians"
Foolad will be without six of their regular starting line-up, with
Hossein Kaebi and goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour joining up with the Iran
national team for their pre-World Cup training camp in Switzerland.
Mohammad Alavi and Nader Ahmadi are suspended, Meysam Soleimani is
injured and Daniel Okechukwu has left the club.
However, coach Nenad Nikolic was upbeat despite the absentees as his
side seeks to win their first game since the opening day 6-0 trouncing
of Group A leaders Al Qadisiya from Kuwait..
"I actually don't have six of my regular players on hand, due to
suspension, injury and attendance in Team Melli," said the Croatian.
"Still, our morale is good and we are keen to defeat Al Ittihad even
though we have no chance to go through to the knockout stage."
Al Ittihad, one point above Foolad, go into the game off the back of a
2-1 defeat in the Syrian league to Teshrine.
Yahia Al Rached scored his sides only goal of that game and a draw would
be enough for the Syrians to guarantee Ahmed Hawash's side do not finish
at the bottom of Group A.
