While Bunyodkor edged out Australia's Adelaide United 3-2 after extra-time in their quarter-final second leg earlier this month, Ulsan stunned Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal by posting a 4-0 win in Riyadh to secure a 5-0 aggregate victory.

Brazilian striker Rafinha (Rafael dos Santos de Oliveira) scored twice after netting the only goal of the first leg before Korea Republic internationals Kim Shin-wook and Lee Keun-ho ended the hopes of two-time Asian Club Championship winners Al Hilal to set-up the meeting with Bunyodkor.

"Ulsan have reached the semi-final so it shows that they are a good team. The players from the Korea Republic national team they have are very strong and can play very well. Also, they have a Colombian (Juan Estiven Vélez) and a Brazilian (Rafinha). Their attacking line is very strong; this is the strongest part of their team.

"But Ulsan are strong in defence and attack and they have minimal weak points. Rafinha is one of their key players. They play without making mistakes and as we saw against Al Hilal, they counterattack and can score many goals."

Defending domestic champions Bunyodkor head into the contest having moved back up to second place in the Uzbek League with a 1-0 win over Navbahor on Friday.

Kamoliddin Murzoev, who is Bunyodkor's joint top scorer in the AFC Champions League this season with four goals alongside Lutfulla Turaev, struck in stoppage time to leave the defending champions two points behind cross-city rivals Pakhtakor with just three games remaining.

Like semi-final opponents Ulsan, several Bunyodkor players including goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov, Jasur Khasanov and Akmal Shorakhmedov featured for their national team in last week's FIFA World Cup qualifiers with Uzbekistan beating Qatar 1-0 in Doha.

But with the winner following next week's second leg in Korea earning the right to host the final against eitherAl Ittihad or Al Ahli next month, Kasimov insists Bunyodkor are determined to make a positive start on Wednesday.

"It will be a tough game as it is an important match in the semi-finals. We respect Ulsan, but if all of my players do everything right we can win," added Kasimov, who is also coach of the Uzbekistan national team.

"We have to forget about the previous games with the national team and in the local league. The players are ready, and we also know that if we win the final will be in Tashkent so we will do everything we can to ensure the final is in Tashkent."

Kasimov will be forced into at least one change to the side which beat Adelaide with Anvar Gafurov ruled out after being sent-off during the second leg.

"We have enough players to find a replacement and the player who will replace him will be at the same level," said Kasimov.