Both sides are bottom of the table with one point each from two rounds and only a win can keep them alive for a quarterfinal berth ahead of Bahrain's Al Muharraq, who lead the group with seven points. Indian side Mahindra United are second with three points.

"We are passing through a bad time and a win will give us some consolation," said Brothers' veteran coach Wajed Gazi referring to the national team's disastrous 6-1 defeat in the quarterfinals of the recently concluded AFC Challenge Cup to eventual winners Tajikistan.

"I am confident that we will play better this time as the national players will be available for the game," said Gazi, whose side lost to Muharraq 2-0 before holding Mahindra 2-2 at home.

Still, he will miss services of key defender and captain Mohammed Sujan, who will need further two weeks to recover from an injury that also kept him out of the AFC Challenge Cup. Brothers will be without any foreign booter but national number one custodian, on loan from Muktijoddha Sangsad, will inspire the Dhaka outfit.

"We have a good chance to go to the second phase if we win in the match. There is no other way but to win and we will try our level best," said Al Ahed coach Jamal Al Haj on the eve of the match.

"The players are bit tired because we are in the middle of the league," said Jamal whose side are fifth in the competition despite having six internationals and foreign recruits from Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Al Ahed, who booked their seat in the competition after lifting the Lebanon Cup last year, reached the AFC Cup quarterfinals in 2005 and will heavily depend on young strike partnership of Abbas Atwi and Hassan Matouk to deliver the goods. However, coach Jamal marked Bassem Marmar as his key player for the game.

Ahed lost 2-0 to Muharraq in their opener and drew 2-2 with Mahindra.