AFC Cup 2019 Archive

Al Ahed will have Bahrain's Manama Club, Al Jaish of Syria and the winner of the West Zone Play-off for company as the Lebanese side will seek to make it back-to-back AFC titles after defeating DPR Korea's 4.25 SC in the 2019 final.

Eight amazing efforts were put up for consideration from Dushanbe via Kuwait and Dhaka to Bogor, but it was a thunderbolt from PSM Makassar midfielder Marc Klok that has been selected by Asia's football fans as the best.

Abahani Dhaka Limited's Sohel Rana was edged out into second place, while Altymyrat Annadurdyyev of Altyn Asyr finished third.

The seven-time Lebanese Premier League champions, who finished their domestic campaign with an impressive 10-point lead over their closest rivals, have been placed in the highest ranked country pot for the West Zone, which also includes 2004 champions Al Jaish from Syria.

The stakes for the upcoming edition have been raised even higher after the AFC Executive Committee’s decision to allocate the 2020 AFC Cup winners with a guaranteed spot in the play-off stage of the 2021 AFC Champions League.

Among them was a title winner, the competition's youngest ever goalscorer and a defender whose performances helped earn him a move to Europe, so join the-AFC.com as we highlight the achievements of five youngsters who stood out.

Dramatic comebacks, seven-goal thrillers and stunning performances, there has been plenty to savour in the AFC Cup. We look back on five games that encapsulated the excitement of the 2019 tournament.

From classic free-kicks to unstoppable rockets from distance and even a goal from the halfway line, this selection has the lot, so sit back, enjoy and then cast your vote at the bottom of the article.

UPDATE: Voting has now concluded – CLICK to find out who was selected as the best goal of AFC Cup 2019

In the first of a series of competition reviews, the-AFC.com has compiled a list of the stats and facts that caught the eye over the past nine months of action.

Marmar said he hoped Al Ahed's win - the first time a Lebanese club has won the AFC Cup - had put a smile on the faces of his compatriots.

"This win is for them and I really hope that we have brought happiness by winning the AFC Cup. We wanted so badly to win the Cup for the people of Lebanon and I am so happy that the players delivered," said Marmar.

The Beirut-based club gained an early advantage when 4.25 SC goalkeeper An Tae-song was given his marching orders for bringing down goal-bound Ahmad Zreik in the 26th minute, but despite that, Al Ahed struggled to find the net.

Yakubu revealed that Marmar’s words of encouragement during the break propelled Al Ahed past a defensive 4.25, and they saw the fruits of their labour in the 74th minute when the Ghanaian headed home Hussein Dakik’s cross.

The DPR Korea club had gone into the decider confident of their chances but goalkeeper An Tae-song's sending off in the 26th minute made their task even more difficult against a highly motivated Al Ahed side.

The one-man advantage meant Al Ahed dictated play and after several missed opportunities, Issah Yakubu headed home the winning goal for the Lebanese club in the 74th minute.

Eight amazing efforts were put up for consideration from Dushanbe via Kuwait and Dhaka to Bogor, but it was a thunderbolt from PSM Makassar midfielder Marc Klok that has been selected by Asia's football fans as the best.

Abahani Dhaka Limited's Sohel Rana was edged out into second place, while Altymyrat Annadurdyyev of Altyn Asyr finished third.

Among them was a title winner, the competition's youngest ever goalscorer and a defender whose performances helped earn him a move to Europe, so join the-AFC.com as we highlight the achievements of five youngsters who stood out.

Dramatic comebacks, seven-goal thrillers and stunning performances, there has been plenty to savour in the AFC Cup. We look back on five games that encapsulated the excitement of the 2019 tournament.

From classic free-kicks to unstoppable rockets from distance and even a goal from the halfway line, this selection has the lot, so sit back, enjoy and then cast your vote at the bottom of the article.

UPDATE: Voting has now concluded – CLICK to find out who was selected as the best goal of AFC Cup 2019

In the first of a series of competition reviews, the-AFC.com has compiled a list of the stats and facts that caught the eye over the past nine months of action.

Marmar said he hoped Al Ahed's win - the first time a Lebanese club has won the AFC Cup - had put a smile on the faces of his compatriots.

"This win is for them and I really hope that we have brought happiness by winning the AFC Cup. We wanted so badly to win the Cup for the people of Lebanon and I am so happy that the players delivered," said Marmar.

The Beirut-based club gained an early advantage when 4.25 SC goalkeeper An Tae-song was given his marching orders for bringing down goal-bound Ahmad Zreik in the 26th minute, but despite that, Al Ahed struggled to find the net.

Yakubu revealed that Marmar’s words of encouragement during the break propelled Al Ahed past a defensive 4.25, and they saw the fruits of their labour in the 74th minute when the Ghanaian headed home Hussein Dakik’s cross.

The DPR Korea club had gone into the decider confident of their chances but goalkeeper An Tae-song's sending off in the 26th minute made their task even more difficult against a highly motivated Al Ahed side.

The one-man advantage meant Al Ahed dictated play and after several missed opportunities, Issah Yakubu headed home the winning goal for the Lebanese club in the 74th minute.

Al Ahed will have Bahrain's Manama Club, Al Jaish of Syria and the winner of the West Zone Play-off for company as the Lebanese side will seek to make it back-to-back AFC titles after defeating DPR Korea's 4.25 SC in the 2019 final.

Eight amazing efforts were put up for consideration from Dushanbe via Kuwait and Dhaka to Bogor, but it was a thunderbolt from PSM Makassar midfielder Marc Klok that has been selected by Asia's football fans as the best.

Abahani Dhaka Limited's Sohel Rana was edged out into second place, while Altymyrat Annadurdyyev of Altyn Asyr finished third.

The seven-time Lebanese Premier League champions, who finished their domestic campaign with an impressive 10-point lead over their closest rivals, have been placed in the highest ranked country pot for the West Zone, which also includes 2004 champions Al Jaish from Syria.

The stakes for the upcoming edition have been raised even higher after the AFC Executive Committee’s decision to allocate the 2020 AFC Cup winners with a guaranteed spot in the play-off stage of the 2021 AFC Champions League.

Among them was a title winner, the competition's youngest ever goalscorer and a defender whose performances helped earn him a move to Europe, so join the-AFC.com as we highlight the achievements of five youngsters who stood out.

Dramatic comebacks, seven-goal thrillers and stunning performances, there has been plenty to savour in the AFC Cup. We look back on five games that encapsulated the excitement of the 2019 tournament.

From classic free-kicks to unstoppable rockets from distance and even a goal from the halfway line, this selection has the lot, so sit back, enjoy and then cast your vote at the bottom of the article.

UPDATE: Voting has now concluded – CLICK to find out who was selected as the best goal of AFC Cup 2019

In the first of a series of competition reviews, the-AFC.com has compiled a list of the stats and facts that caught the eye over the past nine months of action.

Marmar said he hoped Al Ahed's win - the first time a Lebanese club has won the AFC Cup - had put a smile on the faces of his compatriots.

"This win is for them and I really hope that we have brought happiness by winning the AFC Cup. We wanted so badly to win the Cup for the people of Lebanon and I am so happy that the players delivered," said Marmar.

The Beirut-based club gained an early advantage when 4.25 SC goalkeeper An Tae-song was given his marching orders for bringing down goal-bound Ahmad Zreik in the 26th minute, but despite that, Al Ahed struggled to find the net.

Yakubu revealed that Marmar’s words of encouragement during the break propelled Al Ahed past a defensive 4.25, and they saw the fruits of their labour in the 74th minute when the Ghanaian headed home Hussein Dakik’s cross.

The DPR Korea club had gone into the decider confident of their chances but goalkeeper An Tae-song's sending off in the 26th minute made their task even more difficult against a highly motivated Al Ahed side.

The one-man advantage meant Al Ahed dictated play and after several missed opportunities, Issah Yakubu headed home the winning goal for the Lebanese club in the 74th minute.