Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The road to the 2018 AFC Champions League group stage enters its final phase as 16 teams go head-to-head on January 30. We profile the eight contenders from the West Zone.
Al Ain v Malkiya
6:15pm, January 30
Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
Al Ain
Despite finishing fourth in the UAE Pro League last season, Al Ain benefitted from Shabab Al Ahli’s failure to obtain the AFC license to take their place in the 2018 AFC Champions League play-offs.
A missed penalty in the final cost Al Ain the 2016 AFC Champions League title, and eventually it cost Brazilian striker Douglas his place in the team. Swedish international Markus Berg has arrived to replace him, and he has already scored 11 league goals in half a season, four less than Douglas did in 18 months at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
Al Ain swapped one Croatian for another in the dugout. As Zlatko Dalic moved on to lead his nation to the FIFA World Cup 2018, Zoran Mamic arrived from Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. His main task will be to go one further than his countryman did and bring the club their second Asian title.
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: On January 30, the road to the 2018 AFC Champions League group stage enters its final phase as 16 teams go head-to-head. We profile the eight contenders from the East Zone.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings vs FLC Thanh Hoa
7:30pm, January 30
Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon
SUWON BLUEWINGS
After finishing a disappointing seventh in 2016, Suwon Samsung Bluewings rebounded superbly in 2017, finishing third and restoring some pride for the two-time continental champions.
While they may have lost their star man and top scorer from last season, Johnathan, who has moved to Chinese side Tianjin TEDA, they have made arguably the biggest signing in K League history by capturing FC Seoul superstar Dejan Damjanovic, the K League’s second highest goal scorer behind Lee Dong-gook.
Coached by club legend Seo Jung-won, who won back-to-back Asian Club Championships with Suwon in 2001 and 2002, they are no strangers to continental competition, playing in the AFC Champions League in seven of the last nine years. They performed well in the group stage last year, losing just one of their six matches, but in a tough group finished third behind Kawasaki Frontale and Guangzhou Evergrande.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
As we edge closer to the 2018 AFC Champions League play-offs, the-AFC.com looks back at the three biggest upsets from this stage in the history of the competition.
2016: Al Jazira 2-2 Al Sadd (Al Jazira won 5-4 on penalties)
In the 2016 AFC Champions League play-offs, the mere presence of Spanish legend Xavi Hernandez made 2011 champions Al Sadd heavy favourites going into their decisive encounter against hosts Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi.
With Al Jazira also suffering from a bad patch of domestic form prior to their continental fixture, few would have bet on them to progress. However, in the hugely entertaining match that ensued, it was the home side who would surprisingly have the last laugh.
Despite falling behind to Hamza Al Sanhaji's 23rd minute strike, a Kenwyne Jones header and an Ali Mabkhout free-kick gave Al Jazira the lead. Al Sanhaji then returned to net a late equaliser before Khalfan Ibrahim missed a stoppage time penalty that would have seen Al Sadd through.
The game headed to a penalty shootout, where Xavi blasted his spot kick high and Al Jazira’s Ali Khaseif saved from Morteza Pouraliganji to secure a thrilling triumph for the hosts.
2015: Central Coast Mariners 1-3 Guangzhou R&F
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Bahrain's Malkiya Club make their AFC Champions League debut against Al Ain in this year's play-off round on January 30. Ahead of this tie, the-AFC.com takes a stroll down memory lane with three teams representing Bahrain in the competition over the last four edition.
2004: Riffa and Al Ahli
Following strong domestic seasons in the Bahraini Premier League, Riffa and Al Ahli qualified for the group stage of the 2004 AFC Champions League but both clubs withdrew from the tournament and subsequently received two-year bans from all AFC competitions.
2014: Al Hidd
Bahraini clubs made their AFC Champions League comeback after a decade of absence, and they were allocated a place in the first qualifying round for the 2014 AFC Champions League.
Al Hidd had only finished third in the Bahraini Premier League the previous season, but were selected to compete as they were the only Bahraini club to pass the club licensing requirements.