AFC Champions League: Hosts Al Gharafa Face Al Hilal Today

Doha, March 21 (QNA) - Qatar Stars League (QSL) big guns and hosts Al Gharafa take on Saudi Arabia club Al Hilal in an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions’ League Group 'D' match here Wednesday evening. The upbeat Al Gharafa boys are for the first time under coach Paulo Silas in the AFC Champions League after the Brazilian replaced Frenchman Bruno Metsu, who was replaced earlier this month following the 5-1 loss to Al Rayyan in QSL. This is the second year in a row that Al Gharafa have replaced their head coach after just one match in the AFC Champions League. Caio Junior was replaced by Metsu after a 0-0 draw in the UAE against Al Jazira last year and before their second game against Al Hilal. Ironically, the Frenchman's last AFC Champions League match in charge was also a goalless draw in the UAE against Al Shabab Al Arabi. Al Hilal are facing Al Gharafa for the third consecutive year in the AFC Champions League. The visitors have won three times in their four meetings in the competition so far. Al Gharafa's home record against Saudi clubs in the AFC Champions League is a mixed one with two wins and two defeats in their previous four matches. The clean sheet against Al Shabab two weeks ago was shared by goalkeepers Qasem Burhan and Abdulaziz Ali, who came on as a substitute in the 35th minute after Burhan had been injured. Defenders Hamed Shami and Ahmed Fares both picked up a yellow card each during the match against Al Shabab. After suffering a 5-1 home defeat against Al Rayyan in Metsu's final game in charge on March 11, Al Gharafa bounced back under new coach Silas with a 4-1 victory over Al Ahli last Friday. Apart from their matches against Al Gharafa, Al Hilal have played only one other AFC Champions League game in Qatar, a 3-0 win over Al Sadd in the 2010 group stage. Al Hilal have kept only three clean sheets in their last 12 games in the AFC Champions League, all of them coming in matches against Al Gharafa. (QNA)