Khaldiya Hope for Breakthrough in AFC Champions League 2

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s Khaldiya Club will look to take a major step toward qualification in the AFC Champions League 2 when they host Uzbekistan’s Andijan tonight at the Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad. Kick-off is set for 7pm.

The match marks Khaldiya’s fifth outing in Group B, where they currently sit second with five points from four games, earned through one win, two draws, and one loss. Group leaders Al Ahli of Qatar hold six points, while Andijan are third with three points from three fixtures. Turkmenistan’s Arkadag follow with two points from three matches.

Coming off a confidence-boosting win against Al Riffa in the domestic league, Khaldiya enter the continental contest in strong spirits. That result has lifted morale within the camp, as the team continues to show steady improvement both in structure and attacking rhythm.

Head coach Ali Ashoor, speaking at the pre-match press conference, emphasized the importance of maintaining focus in what he described as one of the tournament’s most competitive groups. “We are expecting a difficult game,” Ashoor said. “It’s a tough group — all four teams are still fighting for a ticket to the next round. We’ve prepared the team with our best players, and after the opening four matches, everyone is ready. We’ll do our best to compete against Andijan, and, InshAllah, we can take the three points in front of our fans.”

Ashoor’s confidence was echoed by midfielder Mehdi Abduljabbar, who noted that the team had taken valuable lessons from earlier rounds. “We all know how important this match is,” he said. “We studied our mistakes from the past fixtures and will look to improve this time around. Our goal is clear — to take all three points and move closer to qualification.”

Khaldiya’s preparations have focused on maintaining tactical balance, with the coaching staff fine-tuning transitions and defensive organization. With attacking threats like Ali Madan and Komail Al Aswad, the Bahraini side will look to use their speed and creativity to break down Andijan’s back line.

The Uzbek visitors, meanwhile, travel to Bahrain hoping to revive their campaign and keep their qualification hopes alive. Both teams enter the meeting aware that the result could prove decisive in shaping the group standings.