Asian Champions League Semi Final Preview (1st Leg): Zobahan - Al Hilal

History Makers

Emerging Iranian power Zobahan are bidding to become the first club from their country to win Asia's showpiece club tournament.

Hardly of the pedigree of their next opponents, they'll take solace in the fact that their home recrod this season has been exemplary on the continent; they've won all five of their matches at the Foolad Shahr Stadium thus far.

They'll be without former Iran international Mehdi Rajabzadeh after he picked up a red card in the second leg of the quarter final win over Pohang Steelers though.

Younger alternative Mohammad Khalatbari will carry some of the goal-scoring burden after his heroics against Pohang, where he scored the decisive equalizer in the second leg to see his side through.

Brazilian Igor Castro has been in impressive form in the Champions League and will add to the Iranian outfit's attacking threat, though they might have to deal with the absence of experienced centre-back Farshid Talebi, who is under an injury cloud.

Having developed something of a reputation as perennial runners-up and bridesmaids domestically, Zobahan currently lead the Iran Pro League nine games into the season.

They'll be hoping to transfer their domestic form onto the continental stage and they might have something an ace up their sleeve in the form of defender Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, who is their top scorer with five goals in the league so far.

Whatever the result, it's been a memorable run for Mansour Ebrahimzadeh's unheralded side, who will enter this match under virtually no pressure.

Goliaths

It's a sharp contrast to Saudi giants Al Hilal, who have a huge amount of expectation on them as they search for their first Asian Champions League trophy (in the tournament's current format).

Undoubtedly they boast the individual quality to do it, as well as a seasoned European manager who has enjoyed tremendous success in what will be a short spell with the club.

Belgian Eric Gerets will depart for the Moroccan national team as soon as Hilal's involvement in the competition ends and he'll be hoping to make it three trophies in barely a year with the Riyadh outfit, after leading them to the league title and Crown Prince Cup.

Momentum is certainly with his team after they demolished Al-Gharafa in the first leg of their quarter final, before showing tremendous character to resurrect themselves with two late goals in extra time of the second leg.

On the domestic front Al Hilal are keeping pace with league leaders Al Ittihad, the only Saudi club to have won the tournament in its current form.

Although Saudi Arabia international Yasser Al Qahtani could miss the match through injury, Gerets still has the luxury of calling on the likes of veteran Swede Christian Wilhelmsson and South Korea international Lee Young-Pyo.

While they'll be able to call upon the 50,000+ fanatical support of home fans at the King Fahd International Stadium on the return leg, first they'll have to deal with a difficult away trip; on their last trip to Iran they were beaten 3-1 by Mes Kerman in the group stages.