AFC Champions League: Al Arabi Faces Tough Al Ittihad Today

Doha, March 20 (QNA) - Frenchman Pierre Lechantre is hoping to make an instant impact after being appointed Al Arabi coach ahead of tonight's daunting match against two-time AFC Champions League winners Al Ittihad at the Grand Hamad Stadium here. The Group 'B' clash will be the second for both sides but the first for the home club which parted ways with previous coach Paulo Silas in January. Three days ago care-taker coach Abdullah Saad handed over the reigns to Lechantre. The former Cameroon coach Lechantre replaced Abdallah Saad, who was appointed on an interim basis in January, with Al Arabi in the bottom half of the Qatar Stars League table and after the 2-0 defeat by Baniyas of the UAE in their AFC Champions League (ACL) debut two weeks ago. After conceding in the last minute of the first half against Baniyas, Al Arabi improved in the second half but were unable to find a way back into the contest and Francisco Yeste sealed the win for the home side with 13 minutes remaining. "There are good players in the team and we will try and play well and get three points. I am the emergency coach as I am only here for three months, but I am here to help," the former Lens and Marseille striker Lechantre, who won the African Cup of Nations with Cameroon in 2000, told AFC.com ahead of the clash today. "I will look to help the team because there are some mental problems and we want to correct these problems which have led to bad results in the league and also in the first game against Baniyas." Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad began their Group B campaign in style two weeks ago with a comfortable 4-0 home win over Uzbekistan s Pakhtakor and coach Raul Caneda is seeking more of the same in Doha. Al Ittihad have finished runner-ups in the last two Saudi League campaigns, but are struggling this season and despite extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to three games after beating Al Faisaly 1-0 on Thursday, Caneda s side currently sit sixth 25 points off the pace after winning just nine of their 22 games. "We have had bad results in the local league, but the ACL is very important for Al Ittihad because we have a lot of experience and have won the tournament twice," said Caneda, who succeeded Matjaz Kek at the start of February. "We will look to get the same result we did against Pakhtakor, but Al Arabia are a good team although they have also had problems in their local league. Despite this, they are still a good team and it will be difficult." After beginning their maiden ACL campaign in style against Al Arabi, Baniyas coach Gabriel Calderon will be without Matchday One goalscorer Yeste and Amer Abdulrahman due to injury for the trip to Tashkent. "Al Ittihad and Pakhtakor are the favourites to win the group, but we want to surprise everyone," said Calderon. "We beat Al Arabi in the first match, but we now have some problems because it is cold and the condition of the pitch will be difficult. I have been to Uzbekistan several times before, but I have never experienced these conditions. We have had to train indoors and also on an artificial field." Pakhtakor recovered from their defeat by Al Ittihad to begin the new Uzbek League season with a 1-0 win over Bukhara on Thursday thanks to a first half strike from Montenegrin midfielder Sanibal Orahovac. But coach Dejan Durdevic is set to be without several key players who are with the Uzbekistan Olympic team preparing for next week s play-off in Vietnam against Oman and Syria. "We have learned a lot about Baniyas and they are a good team," said Durdevic. "I am happy we won against Bukhara after the team showed a lot of character after we lost in Jeddah. "Some of the players are in camp with the Olympic team and I am not sure if they can play. I don t expect a beautiful game because of the pitch conditions, but our goal is to win." (END)