In the first half of the match, neither side was able to crack the other's goal. However, the tide turned and in the 70th minute of the second half, Jeddah National took a 1-0 lead with a header from Ivan Toni after a clever assist from Mahrez. Then, in the 74th minute, Mahrez assisted Ivan Toni, who scored twice to make it 2-0, and despite Kaku's equalizer in the 92nd minute, Al Ain failed to pull off the upset with the final score of 1-2.
Jeddah National's five consecutive wins after this victory puts them at the top of the West Asia Zone standings with a 15-point lead, temporarily overtaking Riyadh Crescent. With a 13-point lead over ninth-placed Persepolis, Jeddah National locked up a place in the last 16 three rounds ahead of schedule, becoming the first team to advance to the knockout stage of this season's AFC Champions League.
On the other side, the match between Tehran Independence and Tashkent Cotton Farmers was uneventful. Tehran Independence had 60% of the possession, but only five shots and five hits on target, while Tashkent Cotton Farmers had nothing to show for their efforts. In the end, the two sides shook hands in a 0-0 draw. Four matches in the East Asia Region will be played today, with the following matchups: Ulsan Hyundai vs. Shanghai Seaport (18:00), Kobe Victory vs. Chuo Coast Mariners (18:00), Shandong Taishan vs. Johor Bahru (20:00), and Buriram United vs. Kawasaki Frontale (20:00).
Shanghai Harbour will face Ulsan Hyundai, who have zero points, away from home in what is a great opportunity for the Chinese Super League champions to take all three points. Meanwhile, Shandong Taishan will have their home finale with manager Choi Kang-hee sidelined.
