TEHRAN, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Esteghlal soccer team head coach Winfried Schaefer said they still have a chance of qualifying for AFC Champions League knockout stage, Tehran Times daily reported on Wednesday.

Esteghlal lost to Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia Tuesday night in Group C at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, which means Al Hilal need just one point from their remaining two games to book their place in the knockout stage for the ninth time in the past decade.

Qatari club Al Duhail sit second with seven points. Esteghlal freeze at four points and Al Ain of the UAE remain bottom of the table with just two points.

"We will never give up when there is still a chance to qualify for the next stage. We are a great team and we'll fight for everything," the German coach said.

"Esteghlal players are under pressure for the domestic league schedule. We will have to travel to Mashhad on Friday to face Padideh. We are aware of the importance of proper recovery. Recovery is as important as training for us," Schaefer added.