History of Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya's encounters against Pakhtakor

In a highly anticipated football summit, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya will face a test that is both dangerous and critical when they host Uzbek side Pakhtakor tomorrow evening, Monday, October 26, 2026, in the AFC Champions League Elite. The match will see the Falcons pull out all the stops to escape the bottom of the table and reconcile with their large fanbase. Official arrangements for the awaited continental encounter indicate that the kickoff will be at 9:15 PM local time in Mecca and Baghdad at the Al-Madina International Stadium. The coaching staff of the Falcons aims to make the most of the home advantage and the expected crowd support in Baghdad to compensate for their previous setback in Basra against Al-Ain, losing 4-1, and the recent local draw against Al-Karma. The numbers reveal a complicated situation for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the Asian arena, as the team occupies the 15th place, second to last, in the elite standings with zero points after suffering two consecutive defeats, making victory an absolute necessity to cling to hopes of qualification and restore their dignity. The match becomes even more exciting with the presence of a special story featuring three former club members and stars of Iraqi football within the ranks of Pakhtakor: the Lions' striker Aymen Hussein, young defender Zaid Tahseen, and Bashar Resan. This will be the first time this trio faces their former team, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, in Asian competitions and also the first time they wear the opponent's jersey on Iraqi soil. Zaid and Bashar have been delivering exceptional performances with the Uzbeks, with Zaid recently making the ideal lineup for the last round, while Aymen seeks to break his scoring drought in tomorrow's match. Historical readings of direct encounters confirm that tomorrow's match carries a sense of revenge and breaking the curse, as the two teams have previously met in three official matches in the AFC Champions League, with Pakhtakor prevailing with two wins and one draw, without any victory for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, during which Pakhtakor scored three goals compared to just one for the Falcons. The first encounter dates back to the preliminary round in 2019, ending in favor of the Uzbeks 2-1, followed by a goalless draw 0-0 in the group stage of 2021, before Pakhtakor repeated their superiority in the return leg with a narrow 1-0 win. Tomorrow's match brings together all the keys to football excitement and drama, as the Falcons seek to escape the bottom of the table and break the historical curse against Pakhtakor, while facing the shock of meeting former club members in their own backyard, with the capital's fans eagerly awaiting the kickoff with much passion and hope.