Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The United Arab Emirates' Al Wahda rely on one of Asia's deadliest strikers in Sebastian Tagliabue as they start their ninth AFC Champions League campaign.
Tagliabue's introduction to Asian football came through Saudi Arabia’s Al Ettifaq, who recruited him as a 25-year-old in the summer of 2010 from Colombian side Once Caldas. Tagliabue wasted no time in adapting to Saudi football, firing Al Ettifaq to a third-place finish, their best since 1992, in a season where he bagged 12 strikes in 23 appearances.
The Argentine's goals took Al Ettifaq to just their second AFC Champions League in the 2012 edition, but the Dammam-based side were knocked out in the play-off stage at the hands of Iranian giants Esteghlal.
Al Ettifaq dropped to the 2012 AFC Cup, where their Argentinian poacher was on deadly form, leading them to top their group as the highest scoring side in the competition’s group stage; Tagliabue netted eight out of his side’s 18 group stage goals.
The Saudi team went on to overcome Oman’s Al Suwaiq then Indonesia's Arema FC en route to the semi-final, but by then Tagliabue had agreed a move to 2010 AFC Champions League semi-finalists Al Shabab in the capital Riyadh.
https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/tagbye.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Al Ain: Al Ain navigated a tricky fixture against motivated minnows Malkiya to reach the AFC Champions League group stage after a 2-0 play-off win on Tuesday.
The hosts were left frustrated at the break after their 14 first-half shots failed to produce a single goal, but they ultimately reigned supreme at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium thanks to a second-half change in tactics.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Al Ain: Two second half goals helped Al Ain secure a place in the 2018 AFC Champions League group stage after defeating Bahraini club Malkiya 2-0 in the play-off.
A stubborn Malkiya side put in a spirited performance at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, threatening through dangerous counterattacks in the first half. Hashim Isa’s chip was denied by goalkeeper Khalid Eisa, and a header from Isa Al Bari missed the net.
Al Ain took the lead eight minutes after the break through Swedish striker Markus Berg. After a quick break from the Egyptian winger Hussein El Shahat. The new winter signing squared for Berg who finished with his left.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Qatar's Al Gharafa scored twice in the first half before holding on to confirm a place in the 2018 AFC Champions League group stage with a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor in the play-off on Tuesday.
After a cagey start to the game, the hosts had a chance to take the lead 20 minutes in, when Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi was fouled in the box by Pakhtakor defender Marko Simic.
Al Gharafa's Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder stepped up and made no mistake from the penalty spot to give his side the lead.
In the 28th minute, Al Gharafa doubled their advantage after Diogo Amado's strike from the edge of the box slipped through the hands of Aleksandr Lobanov.