Al Duhail will host Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol in the fifth round (Group E) of 2023-2024 AFC Champions League at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on Monday, November 27, 2023. The kick-off is at 7pm.

This is the last opportunity for both teams to maintain their hopes of qualifying for the next round, as the top side from each group will advance to the Round of 16 along with the best three second-placed teams from among the five groups.

Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr are leading Group E with 12 points, followed by Iranian club Persepolis (seven points), FC Istiklol (two points) and Al Duhail (one point).

Al Duhail, under the tutelage of Frenchman Christophe Galtier, have their task cut out against FC Istiklol.

It may be recalled that Al Duhail had reached the semifinals in the last edition of AFC Champions League in 2022.

Galtier will be counting mainly on Almoez Ali, who scored five goals against Afghanistan (four goals) and India (one goal) recently in the joint Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Asian Cup, as well as Kenyan star Michael Olunga and Brazilian Philippe Coutinho.

During the recent international break when the Expo Stars League had taken a break, Galtier was keen to take advantage of it to correct some mistakes as his wards geared up for the FC Istiklol game.