Hilal won the first round 2-0, an absolutely perfect result for them. Hilal were also seen as winning the Poda Fever before the match at the Etihad.
In my opinion, Hilal is better than Etihad in every aspect. They have better quality local Saudi Arabian players in their squad and a number of foreign players who have successfully integrated into the team system. The best example of this is the pair of wingers who are very efficient so that they can be at their best in Alexandrami's home region.
Attacking players Aidoo Hamidi and Magan have been linking up well on the right side of the pitch, so Etihad will have to be careful with the threat they pose. Aidah Shahri scored in their last two AFC Champions League matches, and as always, he is capable of delivering better performances in the knockout rounds.
I think Rubin Nieves and Milian Govic Savage will control the midfield to make sure Hilal will be hard to break down as Ittihad stalwart Nicolou Jandi is suspended.
So what are Etihad's chances of winning? They will have a lot of support from the home fans, and if they can score early in the game, the atmosphere will be quite hot! However, it will be difficult for them to net two goals against their opponents.
Fabinu Tevaris will be tasked with an important role in the midfield, which has to do with the fact that he is not as strong as Nicolou Jandy who often goes downhill. Therefore, I believe Etihad lacks not only a midfield dynamo but also creativity.
If Etihad creates a chance, Khadallah can definitely seal the deal, but star player Binschmar may not be able to pick out the strike, and another striker Roman Lenno's recent performance has also declined, so they really have a lot of problems in their squad.
Etihad has players who can cause problems for their opponents, but they are not as balanced as their rivals Hilal in terms of offense and defense. I expect this match to be a goal fest with Hilal coming out on top.
