Soccer-Al Hilal out to avenge shock Asian Champions League loss

By Michael Church

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Champions Al Hilal will begin the defence of their Asian Champions League title against Sharjah in Riyadh on Friday but it is the showdown with little-fancied Istiklol a week later that is unexpectantly drawing all the attention.

In recent years, the Saudi Arabian outfit have established themselves as Asia's dominant force, winning the title in two of the last three seasons to become the most successful club in the competition's history.

But a 4-1 shock defeat by Istiklol from Tajikistan in last year's group phase not only dented their pride, it also threatened their hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds.

The Riyadh-based side eventually advanced to the last 16 as one of the best runners-up behind the group-stage debutants from Dushanbe but the Saudis will be eager to avenge that defeat as the two clubs have been drawn to meet again.

That result, along with Leonardo Jardim replacing Rogerio Micale as coach, spurred Al Hilal to win the title for a record fourth time.

Al Hilal and Istiklol, who will feature in Group A alongside Qatar's Al Rayyan and Sharjah from the United Arab Emirates, are due to meet in the first of two encounters on April 15 but the landscape has changed in the year since their last clash.

Jardim has departed Al Hilal, fired by the trigger-happy club in February and been replaced by the returning Ramon Diaz, who previously steered Al Hilal to a runners-up finish in the 2017 Asian Champions League.

Gone too is striker Bafetimbi Gomis, the Frenchman departing in January after two Asian Champions League wins, including finishing as the competition's leading scorer during the 2019 campaign.

But Al Hilal will still go into the group phase as favourites to be one