The best we have played this season, says Al Ain's Schreuder

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

The best we have played this season, says Al Ain's Schreuder

Al Ain: Breathtaking football took Al Ain past Ahal FC in their AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 Group A tie, with head coach Alfred Schreuder saying Tuesday's performance was the best his players have performed so far this season.

Erik, Soufiane Rahimi, Kodjo Laba and Kouame Kouadio scored as UAE's Al Ain defeated Ahaln 4-2 to take a firm grip on top spot, having beaten Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor FC 3-0 on Matchday One.

www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league/video/acl_-_group_a_|_al_ain_fc_uae_4_-_2_ahal_fc_tkm.html

Solari lauds JDT’s character in comeback win

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

Solari lauds JDT’s character in comeback win

Pathum Thani: Head coach Esteban Solari was proud of his Johor Darul Ta’zim players response after going behind to BG Pathum United in Tuesday’s AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 Group I tie on Tuesday.

The Malaysian champions, instead of collapsing, bounced back in style as a brace from Arif Aiman, Bergson and Juan Muniz secured them a 4-2 win, the first time they have won an AFC Champions League group stage match after going behind. 

The win took the Southern Tigers, who lost their opening game to Kawasaki Frontale, to second in the standings with a trip to Korea Republic to face former champions Ulsan Hyundai up next on October 24.

Group A: Al Ain FC (UAE) 4-2 Ahal FC (TKM)

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

Group A: Al Ain FC (UAE) 4-2 Ahal FC (TKM)

Al Ain: Al Ain moved clear at the top of Group A of the AFC Champions League™ 2023-24 on Tuesday as Alfred Schreuder’s side handed Turkmenistan’s Ahal FC a 4-2 defeat at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

Erik, Soufiane Rahimi, Kodjo Laba and Kouame Kouadio were all on target for the former champions as the club from the United Arab Emirates backed up their opening win over Pakhtakor with a second successive victory.

Group D: Nassaji Mazandaran (IRN) 0-3 Al Hilal SFC (KSA)

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

Group D: Nassaji Mazandaran (IRN) 0-3 Al Hilal SFC (KSA)

Tehran: Neymar’s first goal in Al Hilal SFC colours helped the Saudi club earn a 3-0 away win against Nassaji Mazandaran in Group D of the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 at Azadi Stadium on Tuesday.

The two teams had contrasting starts to their 2023/24 continental campaign, with Nassaji’s first-ever match in the competition seeing them defeat Mumbai City 2-0 in Maharashtra, while Al Hilal needed a late Ali Al Bulayhi goal to rescue a point at home against Navbahor.

Group A: Al Fayha (KSA) 2-0 Pakhtakor FC (UZB)

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

Group A: Al Fayha (KSA) 2-0 Pakhtakor FC (UZB)

Riyadh: Al Fayha of Saudi Arabia claimed their first ever win in the AFC Champions League™ after producing a polished performance to beat Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor FC 2-0 at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium on Tuesday.

In only their second outing in the competition, the 2021/22 King Cup champions were more clinical on the night compared to their Uzbekistan counterparts with a brace from Abdelhamid Sabiri earning them three massive points.

Group D: Navbahor (UZB) 3-0 Mumbai City (IND)

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

Group D: Navbahor (UZB) 3-0 Mumbai City (IND)

Namangan: Navbahor secured their first-ever win in the AFC Champions League™, defeating Mumbai City 3-0 on Matchday Two of Group D of the 2023/24 edition at the Markaziy Stadion on Tuesday.

The Uzbek side had started their maiden AFC Champions League adventure with a heroic 1-1 draw with Al Hilal in Riyadh where they led for most of the second half before being clawed back deep in added time.
 
Meanwhile, Mumbai City’s second appearance in the competition kicked-off with a 2-0 reversal at home against Islamic Republic of Iran side Nassaji Mazandaran.

Group I: BG Pathum United (THA) 2-4 Johor Darul Ta’zim (MAS)

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

Group I: BG Pathum United (THA) 2-4 Johor Darul Ta’zim (MAS)

Pathum Thani: Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim secured their first win of the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 after a thrilling 4-2 victory over Southeast Asian rivals BG Pathum United of Thailand in Group I on Tuesday.

An incredible opening 15 minutes at Pathum Thani Stadium saw the hosts go in front through Victor Cardozo’s penalty before JDT turned the game on its head with goals from Arif Aiman Hanapi and Bergson as the visitors led at the interval.

Juan Muniz made it 3-1 eight minutes after the restart only for Cardozo’s second just two minutes later to make it game on once more. But Arif’s second 12 minutes from time gave JDT breathing space and they held out for the three points.

Group G: Shandong Taishan FC (CHN) 0-1 Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN)

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

Group G: Shandong Taishan FC (CHN) 0-1 Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN)

Jinan: Yokohama F. Marinos of Japan picked up their first win of the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 on Tuesday, beating China PR’s Shandong Taishan FC 1-0 thanks to Kota Mizunuma’s first half strike.

There was plenty of goalmouth action for both teams at Jinan Olympic Sports Centre, but Mizunuma’s solitary effort eight minutes before half-time was enough to seal victory for the reigning J1 League champions.
 
The triumph also moved Marinos above Shandong into second place in Group G after two rounds of games, with the two level on three points apiece.

Group B: Al Ittihad Al Ahli Aleppo (SYR) 0-2 Al Kahrabaa Club (IRQ)

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

Group B: Al Ittihad Al Ahli Aleppo (SYR) 0-2 Al Kahrabaa Club (IRQ)

Mekkah: Al Kahrabaa of Iraq recorded their first-ever AFC Cup™ win, beating Al Ittihad Al Ahli Aleppo 2-0 in Group B of the 2023/24 edition at King Abdulaziz Sport City Stadium on Tuesday.

Both sides had yet to break their duck going into the game, with Al Ittihad having lost to Al Wehdat 2-0 in Amman and Al Kahrabaa holding out for a goalless draw against Kuwait SC in Basra on Matchday One.

Group B: Kuwait SC (KUW) 2-1 Al Wehdat SC (JOR)

Wed, 04 Oct, 2023

Group B: Kuwait SC (KUW) 2-1 Al Wehdat SC (JOR)

Kuwait City: Kuwait SC earned a hard-fought 2-1 win against Jordan’s Al Wehdat in Group B of the AFC Cup™ 2023/24 at the Kuwait Sporting Club Stadium on Tuesday.

A Taha Khenissi double put three-time champions Kuwait SC back in contention following their opening 0-0 stalemate against Iraq’s Al Kahrabaa Club.