Esteghlal aim to remain on course for the Group Stage of the AFC Champions League in Friday's first round play-off against fellow Iran side Zobahan at Tehran's Azadi Stadium.

Esteghlal are seeking a fourth consecutive appearance in the Group Stage of the continental competition, but last season's Iran Pro League runners-up head into the contest on the back of Monday's 2-2 draw with mid-table Saipa and last week's 3-2 defeat by 2012 AFC Champions League qualifiers Piroozi.

Coach Parviz Mazloomi will be without midfield duo Andranik Teymourian and Mojtaba Jabbari as Esteghlal look to advance to the second round of the play-offs for the right to take on Saudi Arabia's Al Ettifaq for a place in Group A alongside Qatar's Al Rayyan, Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates and 2011 AFC Cup winners Nasaf from Uzbekistan.

Teymourian was expected to return last week after making his last appearance at the end of December but is now set to be ruled out until mid-April with a toe injury, while a knee problem is set to keep top goalscorer Jabbari sidelined for several weeks.

Mazloomi is set to have Teymourian's former Bolton Wanderers' team-mate Jlloyd Samuel available after the Trinidad and Tobago defender joined Esteghlal on a short-term deal at the start of January.

Jabbari has scored 10 goals this season after featuring five times in the group stage of the AFC Champions League last season, although Fereydoon Zandi could take on the midfielders' goalscoring mantle after recording a timely double against Saipa on Monday as Esteghlal picked up a potentially valuable point in the title race.

Zandi reduced the deficit just before the hour mark with a spectacular 30-yard free-kick before earning Esteghlal a point with a minute remaining after netting an equally impressive set-piece from the side of the penalty area which looped over the helpless Saipa goalkeeper.

Last year, Esteghlal missed out on a place in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League on goal difference to Al Nassr despite beating the Saudi side 2-1 at the Azadi Stadium on Matchday Six.

Zobahan, meanwhile, will look also look to put their own domestic troubles behind them as the 2010 AFC Champions League runners-up seek a third consecutive appearance in the competition after reaching the quarter-finals last year.

Mansour Ebrahimzadeh's side finished third in the Iran Pro League last season, but have won just seven games so far this season and sit eighth - 14 points behind leaders Esteghlal - following Monday's goalless draw with rock-bottom Mes Sarcheshmeh.

Mohammad Ghazi and Brazilian striker Igor Castro both played prominent roles in the AFC Champions League last season and have established themselves as Zobahan's main goalscoring threats in the Iran Pro League this season.

Castro was on target four times in the AFC Champions League last season, which included a double in the last 16 defeat of Al Nassr, while Ghazi scored in both legs of the quarter-final defeat by Korea Republic's Suwon Samsung Bluewings to double his tally for the tournament.