Egyptian trailblazer Sherif energised by Salah support WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 PAGE 15 Al Sadd coach Xavi’s plea gets heard as VAR ready for historic AFC Club Competitions debut in Doha TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK The Spaniard was unhap- highest standards possible.” DOHA py after a penalty appeal was As part of the AFC’s com- turned down when Al Sadd mitment to ensure Asia’s match AFTER Al Sadd coach Xavi defender Pedro Miguel was officials are equipped with the Hernandez expressing his brought down in the box. latest in VAR developments, dissatisfaction at the lack of “Everybody saw what hap- numerous seminars and cours- the Video Assistant Referee pened and it’s really unfair. es have been organised with (VAR) system at an impor- With VAR, everybody can the first-ever online FA C VAR tant Asian tournament like the see on the TV. If we had VAR course held as recent as last AFC Champions League just a today, there would be a pen- month, which engaged a total day ago, Asian football is set alty for us. I don’t want to talk of 104 AFC Elite Match Officials to witness history being made about referees because I know from 19 Member Associations. with VAR marking its debut that their job is really difficult, Additionally, to further en- in the Asian Football Confed- and sometimes football is very hance the AFC’s VAR capabili- eration’s (AFC) Club Compe- fast, and you have to make de- ties, a virtual AFC VAR Infor- titions when Saudi Arabian cisions in seconds. But VAR Now Asia’s premier club tournament (AFC Champions League) will become the third AFC competition to embrace mation Officer (VIO) Workshop giants Al Nassr and Al Ahli helps the referees a lot,” he had 2020 was organised on August Saudi FC battle in the AFC said after the match. the latest in technology after it was first introduced from the same stage of the AFC Asian Cup UAE in 2019. 26 to ensure VIOs are well- Champions League quarter-fi- “The best competition in versed with the technical re- nals at the Jassim Bin Hamad Asia deserves the best condi- across all 32 matches. Now man bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of the AFC Champions League “The AFC has a proven quirements of the VAR system. Stadium on Wednesday. tions to play, and today we Asia’s premier club tournament said: “Asian referees are al- in the West region and the in- track record in the implemen- The VAR system, which “In my humble opinion, it’s didn’t have that.” will become the third AFC com- ready among the best in the troduction of the VAR system tation of the VAR system and aims to provide minimum inter- a big shame that this competi- Asian refereeing set new petition to embrace the latest in world, but we must continue from the Quarter-final stage I would like to thank FIFA, ference with maximum benefits, tion, the best in Asia, does not benchmarks earlier this year technology from the quarter-fi- to set higher standards to en- reinforces the AFC’s Vision to IFAB, our technology partners, is limited to four game-changing have VAR. It’s a big shame,” when the AFC U23 Champi- nals after it was first introduced sure the AFC continues to be provide the ultimate stage for our host association - the Qatar decisions or incidents, specifi- Xavi had rued following onship Thailand 2020 became from the same stage of the AFC leaders in world refereeing. our players, teams and match Football Association and all our cally - goal or no goal, penalty- Al Sadd’s loss in the Round of the first AFC competition to Asian Cup UAE in 2019. “So much has gone into officials to showcase their un- stakeholders for ensuring our kicks, direct red cards and mis- 16 match to Iran’s Persepolis. successfully implement VAR AFC President Shaikh Sal- the successful and safe restart deniable talent. matches are delivered to the taken identity decisions. Persepolis vs Pakhtakor: 8.45pm Al Nassr vs Al Ahli SFC: 4.40pm This is our chance, says Pakhtakor captain Krimets Persepolis have never beaten Pakhtakor in three previous encounters in the AFC Champions League While both the Saudi teams have never won the competition, Al Ahli reached the final in 2012. AFC DOHA Al Nassr, Al Ahli SFC PAKHTAKOR FC are hoping to reach the semi-finals for the first time in 16 years when they face Persepolis in the 2020 AFC Champions League banking on familiarity quarter-final at the Jassim Bin Ham- ad Stadium on Wednesday evening. The 12-time Uzbek champions Pakhtakor FC captain Egor Krimets during the Round of 16 clash with Esteghlal. reached the competition’s final to seal semi ticket four in the first two editions of the AFC Champions League in 2003 AFC a team from our league will be in the spared the punishment after Abdul- and 2004, but have since been un- DOHA final of this part of the competition. lah Al Naqbi fired wide for Shabab able to match this achievement; “The players will not only be Al Ahli, handing the Saudis a 4-3 win their best result being a quarter- AL Nassr FC are looking to cre- tired in their legs, they will also be with Ahmed Khalil having earlier final appearance in 2009. ate club history by reaching their tired mentally and with time there missed Shabab Al Ahli’s first penalty. Pakhtakor’s return to the quar- first-ever AFC Champions League is a tendency to lose concentration, “We know in the last game we ter-finals saw them top Group B of semi-final when they face com- so the team that retains more con- played extra time and had a long the 2020 AFC Champions League patriots Al Ahli Saudi FC in the centration until the end and stays and tiring game, but I feel my play- with an unbeaten record and only quarter-final of the 2020 compe- mentally stronger will win.” ers are preparing very well for the one goal conceded following the an- tition at the Jassim Bin Hamad game,” said Milojevic. nulment of Al Hilal SFC’s results. Stadium on Wednesday. “Al Nassr are a strong team At the heart of their strong defen- While both Saudi teams have with good players. They have a lot sive record is the centre-back pair- Persepolis head coach Yahya Golmohammadi on Tuesday. never won the competition, Al Ahli of quick and skillful players like ing of club captain Egor Krimets and did reach the final in 2012, losing Hamdallah, Abdulfattah Asiri and fellow Uzbekistan international Persepolis, on the other hand, said Golmohammadi on his op- to Ulsan Hyundai 3-0. They have Pity Martinez, but for me, it is about veteran Anzur Ismailov. are in the AFC Champions League posite number who tested positive since reached the quarter-finals on having a good team, not just good “The quarter-final is a very im- quarter-finals for the third time for COVID-19 last week. two occasions; in 2013 and 2017. Al individuals, and I am confident that portant match, we do not know in four years, having reached the “Our thoughts are with the fam- Nassr, meanwhile, are in the quar- we have a good team. when will our next chance to be in semi-finals in 2017 then the final ily of Norouzi on the memory of his ter-final for the second time in a “We know very well that Al Nassr this stage again come, so this is our in 2018, losing to Al Hilal SFC and passing. The players want to put in a row, having never reached this stage Face-off are a big team and are always com- chance,” said Krimets who has been Kashima Antlers respectively. fight tomorrow and dedicate the win before 2019. It is an advantage for both teams peting for the title in the Saudi Pro at the club since 2011. Wednesday’s game comes a day to his soul. Despite Al Ahli having a rela- League, just like us. For me this is a “We know Persepolis are good before the fifth anniversary of the “We worked really hard to reach tively superior record in the AFC to face a fellow Saudi team. strong derby, and I know both teams in set-pieces, so it is important to be death of former Persepolis captain this stage, we faced Al Sadd who are Champions League, Al Nassr boast Al Nassr coach Rui Vitoria will come with motivation, but I be- cautious with them. Our aim is not Hadi Norouzi. one of the best teams in the com- nine Saudi Pro League titles to Al lieve in my team having the most to give them such chances to score The attacking midfielder spent petition and it was an exhausting Ahli’s three. The two head coaches motivation to go to the next round.” goals, so we will try not to commit seven years at the club and had game. But we are well motivated have taken different perspectives A 75th minute Abderazzak This is the second time in AFC many fouls near our penalty box. just been named captain when he and in good spirits. to a match that brings together two Hamdallah strike settled Al Nassr’s Champions League history that two “Ismailov and I played in the na- passed away after a heart attack on “Pakhtakor had one more day sides who know each other so well.