Persepolis and SC Alsoda are out of the knockout rounds and into the thick of this year's AFC Champions League elite group stage. In other words, this may be the battle of survival to determine whether the two teams will make it to the Top 16.
Persepolis has had a good run in the Asian Champions League, reaching the final twice. However, this season's journey has been a bumpy one. In their five group matches, they have not only suffered two defeats, but also have little offensive power.
Despite the mediocre results, the Persepolis defense has always been solid. This hasn't changed since their playing days. Only 5 goals have been conceded so far, highlighting its tight organization and solid defense. However, with only 3 goals scored on the attacking end, the lack of offense seems to be a foregone conclusion.
Alipuya's Asian Champions League scoring record is impressive, and with the Portuguese returning to Persepolis this July, I'm confident he'll be able to carry the load and bring more goals to the team. Lucaszuo is also a goal threat, while Amansada and Amelie's precise passing and accurate handling of key balls are enough to tear through any defense.
SC Isolda has suffered two defeats and three draws in five group matches, which is a worrying result. Especially in the last two rounds of matches, they have lost consecutively and accumulated 8 goals conceded.
However, SC Al-Saud have a strong group of strikers, and Mohanad Ali is undoubtedly one of the best in Iraqi soccer, and he's particularly good in a supporting role. I was also impressed by Hussein Ali's excellent dribbling and passing ability, which always creates scoring opportunities for his teammates in front of the ball.
Despite SC Esolda's star-studded frontcourt, the other positions look out of reach. With this in mind, I predict that Persepolis is expected to prevail in this matchup and rekindle the flame of hope for a top 16 finish.
