Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bengaluru: Udanta Singh has insisted JSW Bengaluru are ready to make up for the disappointment of the last two years and fight to reach the AFC Cup final ahead of the visit of Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr in the Inter-Zone semi-final on Wednesday.
The Indian side have developed into one of the tournament’s strongest teams in recent years, reaching the final in 2016 and then the Inter-Zone final last year, but fell just short on both occasions after defeats to Iraq’s Air Force Club and Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol respectively.
But hopes are again high in the current campaign after Bengaluru were crowned South Zone champions after a dramatic final round of group stage fixtures in May, and Sree Kanteerava Stadium will be expectant when the side take to the pitch against Central Zone champions Altyn Asyr.
www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_cup/video/jsw_bengalurus_udanta_singh_dreaming_big_in_the_afc_cup.html
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bengaluru: With the 2018 AFC Cup Inter-Zone semi-finals fast approaching, India's Bengaluru FC have kicked off their preparations with a fresh look as newly-appointed head coach Carles Cuadrat and seven new signings took their bow in an open training session at the Bangalore Stadium on Saturday.
Bengaluru, who face Turkmenistan's Altyn Asyr in the 2018 AFC Cup Inter-Zone semi-finals, have signed Kean Lewis, Rino Anto, Sairuat Kima, Gursimrat Gill, Soram Poirei, Chencho Gyeltshen and Xisco Hernandez for the 2018-19 season.
The first leg of the AFC Cup Inter-Zone semi-final on August 22 will be Bengaluru's first competitive match and Cuadrat is determined to prepare his squad for what promises to be a challenging assignment.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: In the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, to be the third highest scoring international footballer in the world is no mean feat, and for an Asian player to be within one goal of Messi’s 65 goals for a national team is a record our latest inductee to the “Asian Icons” list should be proud of.
As he turns 34 today, we celebrate the career of Sunil Chhetri, India’s most capped player and all-time top goalscorer.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Altyn Asyr’s upcoming appearance in the AFC Cup Inter-Zone Semi-finals marks the first time a side from Turkmenistan has reached the competition’s knockout rounds, having also done so with an unbeaten record.
The Ashgabat-based club were crowned Central Asia Zonal champions after Mihail Titow’s 97th-minute goal in May ousted Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol to book a date with India’s JSW Bengaluru, who Istiklol eliminated in last year’s competition en route to their second appearance in the final.
With Central Asian sides having been represented in the AFC Cup in every edition but one since the inaugural tournament in 2004, the-AFC.com looks back at how its sides have performed over the years as Altyn Asyr look to continue the region’s recent upward trajectory.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: For the second successive year, An Il Bom has skippered DPR Korea side 4.25 SC into the AFC Cup knockout rounds after the club made their debut in 2017, but this time the forward is in red-hot scoring form and looking to fire the East Asians even deeper into the competition.
Having scored eight goals in six games, An was the standout player as 4.25 swept everyone aside in Group I to top the standings with a perfect record. In doing so, the Pyongyang team amassed a group stage high 23 goals while conceding just two as they were crowned East Asia Zonal champions.
The next challenge for 4.25 SC is an Inter-Zone semi-final clash against Home United, with the first leg to be played in Singapore on Tuesday, and if An can continue a rich vein of form that has included three successive braces, they will fancy their chances of eclipsing last year’s performance and advancing to the Inter-Zone final.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: As we enter the final stages of the 2018 AFC Cup, stars of the competition will look to carry their form into January's AFC Asian Cup in the UAE.
From debutants to former champions, 24 Asian nations are gearing for the AFC Asian Cup, and many of them are keeping an eye on how their stars are performing across Asia's two club competitions. Here are six players who have driven their teams into the final stages of the AFC Cup and dream of doing the same with their countries in January.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: With AFC Cup action set to resume in less than two weeks' time, we wind the clock back to previous editions to pick out a selection of great goals from the knockout rounds, and ask you to choose your favourite from these five crackers.
Two scorchers from a semi-final classic in Kuwait, and a trio of unstoppable strikes from the ASEAN, Central and South Zones all make the grade in a quintet of knockout stage goals to whet your appetite ahead of the return of the 2018 AFC Cup.
Take a moment to review the nominees, before selecting your favourite in our poll.