Olunga’s Duhail to get home advantage in Champions League decisive matches

Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga and his Al Duhail club will get the advantage of playing the crucial stages of the 2022 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League tournament on home soil.

This is after Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Tuesday confirmed the selection of the Qatar Football Association to host the round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final matches in the Champions League tournament for the West region where Duhail fall.

“The Asian Football Confederation announced that Qatar will host the decisive confrontations in the 2022 AFC Champions League for the West region, as the round of 16 matches will be held on February 19 and 20, 2023, the quarter-finals on February 23, and the semi-finals on February 26,” a statement from Duhail confirmed.

Al Duhail are still in the running to clinch the prestigious trophy as they topped their group D to qualify for the Round of 16 set to be played next year in February. In the six Group Stage games, Olunga scored four goals to help his side win five matches (L1).

Last season, despite Olunga winning the Golden Boot in the tournament with nine goals, Duhail failed to qualify for the Play-offs after finishing in second place.

The confrontations in the Round of 16 will see Duhail take on Qatar Stars League compatriots Al Rayyan in one of the four scheduled matches.

The other West Asian half of the last 16 pairings will see defending champions Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia face off against Shabab Al Ahli Dubai from the United Arab Emirates, while another Saudi side Al Shabab take on FC Nasaf from Uzbekistan. Al Faisaly from Saudi Arabia square off with Foolad Khouzestan from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Earlier, the AFC had confirmed that the Round of 16 (West) will be held on February 19 and 20, with the Quarter-finals to be contested on February 23 before the Semi-final is staged on February 26.

The first leg of the Final will be played on April 29, 2023, at the venue of the finalist from the West Region whilst the second leg of the Final will be held on May 6, 2023, in Saitama, Japan - the venue of the finalist from the East Region – Urawa Red Diamonds.