Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Persepolis striker Ali Alipour started his 2018 AFC Champions League campaign in style and his side will rely on him to replicate his league form on the continental stage to fire them to glory.
Persepolis’ run to the 2017 AFC Champions League semi-finals introduced Asian football fans to striker Mehdi Taremi who finished the campaign with seven goals, a tally bettered only by Al-Hilal’s Omar Khrbin and Brazilian duo Rafael Silva and Hulk.
But by January 2018, Taremi had departed for Qatar, joining Al Gharafa on an 18-month deal. With a transfer ban in place on Persepolis, the Tehran-based side had to find a replacement from within as they looked to mount a title defence on the domestic front, as well as a second consecutive continental challenge.
Ali Alipour had started six games in last season’s AFC Champions League, scoring once in the second leg of the quarter-finals against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli, but coach Branko Ivankovic saw in the 23-year-old the man to replace Taremi in his attack.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Jeddah: Often an understudy to Omar Al Somah, Al Ahli’s Mohanad Assiri has finally gotten his chance in the Syrian striker’s absence and looks to seal a starting spot for club and country.
Mohannad Assiri’s Al Ahli career has been intertwined with that of Omar Al Somah since the very beginning. The 31-year-old arrived at the club from Al Shabab in August 2014, a month after the arrival of his Syrian teammate. Since then Assiri has constantly played second fiddle to Al Somah.
When news emerged in late December that Al Somah had suffered a serious ankle injury that would keep him out for three months, Al Ahli fans feared their entire season was in danger of falling apart. After all, Al Somah was the league’s top goal scorer for the past three years and had already netted 10 league goals for them this season.
But in their talisman’s absence, forward stepped Assiri, confident that he had found the perfect opportunity to present his credentials as an equally prolific poacher.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The-AFC.com has announced that Taiseer Al Jassam of Al Ahli is the winner of this week’s Goal of the Week presented by Allianz for Matchday Two of the 2018 AFC Champions League after a public vote on the AFC’s official website.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuwait City: After a managerial career that took him to five different Asian countries, Portuguese coach Antonio Oliveira, better known as Toni, reflects on great times at Tractorsazi Tabriz and playing in the AFC Champions League.
Tractorsazi had achieved their highest-ever finish in the Iran Pro League in the 2011-12 season, ending the campaign as runners-up, a single point behind champions Sepahan, which meant the club would be making their AFC Champions League debut the following season.
An experienced coach was needed to help the club navigate this new territory, and with past experiences in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and China PR, Toni was the chosen one for the challenge. The Portuguese remembers his first encounter with Tractorsazi players.
“I remember my first day; I told the players that being there was a challenge for me,” the 71-year-old told the-AFC.com.
“I explained to them that I want to bring my experience as a coach and as a player, to help them become not only better players, but better men too. I always give 100 percent to be engaged with the players.”