On Monday, October 21, Al Ain hosts Al Hilal in the UAE for the third round of the AFC Champions League group stage, kicking off at 18:00 Central European Time.
Team Previews
Al Ain (Reigning AFC Champions League winner)
– Struggling in domestic league, sitting 6th with 7 points after 4 matches
– AFC Champions League campaign off to poor start (draw vs Al Sadd, loss to Al Gharafa)
– Failed to replicate last season’s success
Al Hilal (Saudi Arabian champions)
– Dominant domestically, winning all 6 matches this season
– Impressive international performance (away win vs Al Rayyan, 5-0 home win vs Al Shorta)
– Unbeaten in six months, with 10 consecutive wins
Match Facts & Statistics
– Al Ain kept a clean sheet in only 1 of their last 15 matches
– Al Hilal won 10 consecutive matches, unbeaten in six months
– Al Ain averages 3 goals per game at home, Al Hilal averages 2.6 goals per game away
Probable Lineups
Al Ain: Eisa, Mohammed, Cardozo, Eric, Kouadio, Park, Tratore, Kaku, Sanabria, Palacios, Rahimi
Al Hilal: Bono, Cancelo, Al-Bulayhi, Koulibaly, Lodi, Milinković-Savić, Neves, Malcom, Al-Dawsari, Marcos Leonardo, Mitrović
Head-to-Head
– 6 wins for Al Ain, 7 wins for Al Hilal, 2 draws in previous meetings
Expert Prediction
Al Hilal, with their strong start to the season, will likely emerge victorious against struggling Al Ain.
