Al Wahda Hungry for Revenge: A High-Stakes West Clash with Al Duhail
19 October 2025
Match Preview
Al Wahda of the United Arab Emirates welcomes Al Duhail of Qatar to the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi for a crucial AFC Champions League Elite West fixture, the third round of the West region in 2025-2026.
The home team will wear their light blue kit, while Al Duhail will sport gray.
Despite solid showings in the first two rounds, caution remains, as past meetings between the sides have not been favorable for Wahda, who have lost both previous encounters with the Qatari side.
Yet Wahda draw confidence from a positive start to the season both domestically and continentally, fueling hopes of three points and a climb in the standings.
Omar Khribin has been Wahda’s standout, contributing to a notable performance last week that helped Syria secure a place in the 2027 Asian Cup finals.
Wahda’s coach Jose Mauricio said they expect a strong performance and emphasized the quality of the opponents, calling for collective effort to take the points.
Wahda revealed that Iranian striker Reza Qandiour will not participate after playing against his former club in the same competition.
Abdullah Hamad, Wahda’s midfielder, stressed the team’s resolve to win and push toward advancing to the knockout rounds of the Elite competition.
Al Duhail, who drew 2-2 with Saudi champions Al Ahli in the previous round, are aiming to return to winning ways to strengthen their knockout prospects. They need defensive solidity after conceding four goals so far and currently sit sixth in the Qatar Stars League.
Jamal Belmadi, Duhail’s coach, expressed confidence in his players to respond positively and regain momentum to stay in the title chase.
Historically, the teams have met twice in AFC Champions League play, with Duhail winning 1-0 and 3-2, adding a revenge motive for Wahda, who are enjoying a good domestic run and sit second in the UAE league with 14 points, two behind leaders Al Ain.
On the other side, Duhail occupy sixth in the Qatar Stars League with eight points from two wins, two draws and two losses, scoring 13 and conceding six.
Other third-round matches in the West also feature Al Shorta vs Al Ittihad, Sharjah vs Tractor, Al Ahli vs Al Gharafa in various venues, with more games set for Tuesday, including Shabab Al Ahli vs Nasaf and Al Hilal vs Al Sadd in different cities.
In the current standings, Al Hilal leads the West on six points, while Al Ahli, Sharjah, Wahda and Shabab Al Ahli follow on four, Al Gharafa on three, and Sada and Tractor on two. Al Duhail and Al Shorta sit on one point, with others yet to open their accounts. Eight group-stage matches per side will decide the eight advancing teams to the Round of 16, with knockouts scheduled for March-April 2026 in Saudi Arabia.
Upcoming fourth-round fixtures are slated for November 3-4, featuring varied matchups across the West region, including Nasaf vs Wahda in Qashgar and Duhail vs Shabab Al Ahli in Doha, among others. The competition structure remains the same: eight games per team, top eight advancing, and knockout ties culminating in a Saudi-hosted final by April next year.
Punchlines to lighten the mood: If football ever uses a GPS, it still won’t stop wandering offside. Also, after this many rounds, my snack budget could fund the entire West region’s extra time. Sniper joke: I don’t predict outcomes—I just predict where the ball will roll and hope it lands in the net. Punchline two: tactical genius? More like tactical snacks—tonight’s formation: 4-2-2-2: four slices of pizza, two cans of cola, two optimistic fans in the stands.”
