Shabab Al Ahli Defeats Tractor 3-0 to Reach ACL Quarterfinals
In a city braced for knockout drama, Tractor never really got started.
The Iranian club, playing its first competitive game since late February amid the fallout from U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran, were swept out of the Asian Champions League Elite with a 3-0 defeat to Shabab Al Ahli in Jeddah on Tuesday.
The rust showed. The scoreline underlined it.
Shabab Al Ahli Turn the Screw
Shabab Al Ahli, sharper and more cohesive from the opening whistle, struck through three different scorers to cruise into the quarterfinals.
Yuri Cesar set the tone, finding the breakthrough that Tractor never looked capable of matching for long stretches. The Dubai side controlled the tempo, moved the ball with confidence, and forced Tractor to chase shadows in the Saudi heat.
The pressure eventually carved open more gaps. Iran international Saeid Ezatolahi added the second, a cruel twist for Tractor as one of their own national-team stars, lining up in opposition colors, tightened the noose on their tournament hopes.
Brazilian forward Mateusao then finished the job, his goal sealing a professional, almost ruthless performance and sending Shabab Al Ahli through with something to spare.
Next up: Buriram United of Thailand in Saturday’s quarterfinal. On this evidence, the Emirati club will arrive with momentum and belief.
Al Ittihad Survive the Marathon
The late game in Jeddah needed every last minute.
Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad and Al Wahda of the UAE dragged each other into extra time, the tension rising with every missed half-chance and every tired run. Penalties loomed.
Fabinho decided he had seen enough.
In the 120th minute, the Brazilian midfielder stepped up from the spot and buried the decisive penalty, delivering a 1-0 win and dragging Al Ittihad into the last eight. It was a moment of composure at the end of a night that had frayed plenty of nerves.
Their reward is a quarterfinal meeting with Japan’s Machida Zelvia, another clash set for Jeddah as the city continues to host the entire knockout phase. The final is scheduled for April 25, also on Saudi soil.
Tournament on the Move
While the football played out on the pitch, the Asian Football Confederation was busy reshaping the future of the competition.
Earlier on Tuesday, the AFC announced a recommendation to expand the Asian Champions League Elite from 24 to 32 clubs starting from the 2026-27 season. The split between regions would remain: 16 teams from the East, 16 from the West.
The real shift comes in how teams survive.
Under the current format, the top eight from each region’s group standings move straight into the round of 16. Under the proposed model, only the top six will be guaranteed a place in the last 16.
Those finishing seventh to 10th would not be sent home. Instead, they would drop into a newly created knockout stage playoff, a second chance to claw their way into the business end of the tournament.
“In a significant departure from previous formats, clubs that finish seventh to 10th will not be eliminated but will instead progress to a newly established knockout stage playoff,” the AFC said in a statement.
The plan still needs the approval of the AFC Executive Committee. If it passes, nights like this in Jeddah — with Tractor out, Shabab Al Ahli and Al Ittihad marching on — may soon be played out in an even bigger, more unforgiving arena.
