Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The eight remaining sides in the East Zone of the AFC Champions League return to action for the first leg of the Round of 16 on Tuesday and Wednesday with no fewer than four former continental champions still in the mix.
Both China and Korea Republic have three representatives still chasing continental glory while Japan and Thailand have one.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Guangzhou Evergrande and Ulsan Hyundai – who have won four of the past six titles between them – are among the teams in the last 16, as are two-time Asian Club Championship winners Suwon Samsung Bluewings.
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Abu Dhabi: Al Jazira will play their first AFC Champions League knockout stage match since 2014 when they host 2017 semi-finalists Persepolis in the first leg of the Round of 16 at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Monday.
The Emirati side ended a 15-game winless run in the continental competition in February and went on to finish runners-up in Group A with strikers Ali Mabkhout and Romarinho netting eight of their nine goals between them.
Al Jazira’s domestic form has been poor of late as they ended their UAE Pro League season with a 4-1 defeat to Al Wahda. Since beating Al Gharafa in the group stage in early April, the Abu Dhabi side have lost four of the past five matches.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: The 2011 AFC Champions League winners Al Sadd return to the knockout rounds for the first time since 2015 when they welcome Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli to Jassim bin Hamad Stadium on Monday.
Al Sadd have been in superb form at home, where they won all three of their Group C matches to advance to the last 16 as runners-up. Striker Baghdad Bounedjah has been one of the form players on the continent and leads the scoring charts with seven goals.
The Doha club progressed to the semi-finals of Qatar's Emir Cup with a 4-0 victory over Al Khor on Thursday to ensure they go into the clash with Al Ahli on form, although they are without the suspended defender Pedro Correia after his booking in the final group match ruled him out of the first leg.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The number of teams in the AFC Champions League has been reduced by half as just three weeks after the completion of the group stage, the remaining sides in the West Zone return for the first leg of the Round of 16 on Monday and Tuesday.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has three sides remaining in the competition, while the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have two and Saudi Arabia one. Inaugural AFC Champions League winners Al Ain, 2010 winners Zobahan and the last team from the West to lift the trophy, Al Sadd, are among the line-up.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tianjin: Tianjin Quanjian’s slow start to the 2018 Chinese Super League season will mean nothing when they clash with Guangzhou Evergrande in the Round of 16, according to Guangzhou Evergrande’s star striker Ricardo Goulart.
Goulart, the AFC Champions League Most Valuable Player and top scorer in 2015, is expecting a tough clash against a side that contains star power such as Alexandre Pato, Anthony Modeste and Axel Witsel.
“We always expect a difficult match,” he told the-AFC.com.
“These are two different competitions, (and) sometimes the team focuses on one competition and leaves aside the other. Regardless of their form at the moment, it will be two difficult matches and we have to be at our best.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: After over 80,000 votes from Asia’s football fans on the-AFC.com, Kitchee SC’s Cheng Chin Lung has emerged the winner of the 2018 AFC Champions League Goal of the Group Stage.
The 20-year-old hit the headlines on Matchday Four with a dramatic late goal against Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol, in a moment that clearly captured the imagination of those who follow the continental competition as the fine effort earned 73 percent of the vote to win the poll.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The-AFC.com looks back on the week's AFC Champions League action through the words of some of the key men involved. With the Group Stage concluding, it's all about the Round of 16; delight and disappointment.
I'm very happy scoring the winning goal which takes us through to the Round of 16. I would like to give my thanks to the fans both at the stadium and at home for your great support.
Tsing Tao Player-of-the-Match winner Korrakot Wiriyaudomsiri credits the fans for their role in Burriam United's shock win over Jeju United that saw the Thai club through to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2013.