Debutants Ventforet Kofu determined to impress

Sun, 04 Jun, 2023

Debutants Ventforet Kofu determined to impress

Yamanashi: Japan’s Ventforet Kofu will become the first club to make their debut in the AFC Champions League™ as a second division outfit when they play in the next edition in September. 

the-AFC.com travelled to Yamanashi prefecture to meet the 2022 Emperor’s Cup winners.

Vote for your Best Goal of #ACL2022: Semi-final 1 (East)

Wed, 31 May, 2023

Vote for your Best Goal of #ACL2022: Semi-final 1 (East)

Kuala Lumpur: Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds last month became Asian champions for the third time when they overcame Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC in the title clash of the AFC Champions League 2022 – a tournament that saw 384 goals scored in 130 matches at an average of almost three goals every 90 minutes. 

Now it’s your turn, as the fans of Asian football, to select which among the lot deserves to be considered the best. In the first of the two semi-finals, the-AFC.com brings you eight fantastic goals from the East Asia section of the draw to look back on.
 
After reviewing our selection, don’t forget to vote for your favourite in the poll at the bottom of the article to help decide which of the goals will advance to a final to face the best goals from the West Asia side of the draw. 

Qualifiers Group A: Australia 5-0 Lebanon; Vietnam 3-2 IR Iran

Sat, 03 Jun, 2023

Qualifiers Group A: Australia 5-0 Lebanon; Vietnam 3-2 IR Iran

Viet Tri City: Australia and Vietnam kicked off their AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2024 Qualifiers Round 2 Group A campaigns with wins at the Viet Tri Stadium on Saturday.

While Australia cruised to a 5-0 victory over Lebanon, hosts Vietnam overcame a gritty Islamic Republic of Iran 3-2. 

Yoshida leaves Schalke 04

Fri, 02 Jun, 2023

Yoshida leaves Schalke 04

Gelsenkirchen: Former Japan international defender and 2011 AFC Asian Cup winner Maya Yoshida has announced his departure from Schalke 04 following the team’s relegation from the Bundesliga last weekend.

Yoshida signed a one-year contract last summer at the end of his stint with Italian side Sampdoria and the 34-year confirmed on social media that he would not be returning to the club from Gelsenkirchen.

Damjanovic, Kitchee part ways

Thu, 01 Jun, 2023

Damjanovic, Kitchee part ways

Hong Kong: Hong Kong Premier League champions Kitchee have announced the departure of Dejan Damjanovic, the AFC Champions League™’s all-time leading goal scorer, following the completion of the record-breaking striker’s two-and-a-half-year contract.

The 41-year-old, who passed Lee Dong-gook’s mark after joining Kitchee from Daegu FC in 2021, is one of four players to leave the club upon the completion of the season, alongside Alex Akande, Kyrgyz Republic international Bekzhan Sagynbaev and Maddox Kong.

Australia great Wilkinson calls time on career

Thu, 01 Jun, 2023

Australia great Wilkinson calls time on career

Sydney: AFC Asian Cup-winning defender and former Australia international Alex Wilkinson has retired from professional football, his club Sydney FC confirmed on Thursday.

The 38-year-old, part of the Socceroos squad that claimed the AFC Asian Cup™ on home soil in 2015, also won five A-League Premierships during stints with Central Coast Mariners and Sydney as well as two K-League titles with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in a career that spanned more than two decades.