Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Vissel Kobe (JPN) v Gwangju FC (KOR)

Wed, 05 Mar, 2025

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Vissel Kobe (JPN) v Gwangju FC (KOR)

Kobe: Vissel Kobe will have to rediscover their best form when they welcome Gwangju FC to the Kobe City Misaki Park Stadium for the first leg of their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 Round of 16 tie on Wednesday.

Both sides comfortably qualified for the last 16 stage, with Japan's Vissel finishing fifth and Korea Republic's Gwangju a spot higher.

www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_elite.html/video/preview-round-of-16-|-afc-champions-league-elite™

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Shanghai Shenhua FC (CHN) v Kawasaki Frontale (JPN)

Wed, 05 Mar, 2025

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Shanghai Shenhua FC (CHN) v Kawasaki Frontale (JPN)

Shanghai: Shanghai Shenhua will be confident of victory when they face Kawasaki Frontale in the first leg of their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 Round of 16 tie on Wednesday.

China PR's Shenhua defeated Japan's Frontale 2-0 when the sides met in the League Stage back in October.

R16 - 1st Leg: Al Wasl FC (UAE) 1-1 Al Sadd SC (QAT)

Tue, 04 Mar, 2025

R16 - 1st Leg: Al Wasl FC (UAE) 1-1 Al Sadd SC (QAT)

Dubai: Al Wasl FC and Al Sadd SC have it all to play for after they settled for a 1-1 stalemate in their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 Round of 16 first leg tie on Monday.

Ali Saleh gave the United Arab Emirates side an early lead but a thumping Abdulla Al Yazidi header in the second half ensured a share of the spoils for Qatar's Al Sadd, leaving both with a chance to make the quarter-finals.

R16 - 1st Leg: Esteghlal FC (IRN) 0-0 Al Nassr Club (KSA)

Tue, 04 Mar, 2025

R16 - 1st Leg: Esteghlal FC (IRN) 0-0 Al Nassr Club (KSA)

Tehran: Esteghlal FC and Al Nassr Club settled for a 0-0 stalemate in their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 Round of 16 first leg at the Azadi Stadium on Monday.

Both sides had chances but failed to finish with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr to host Islamic Republic of Iran's Esteghlal in the return leg on March 11.

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Al Rayyan SC (QAT) v Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA)

Wed, 05 Mar, 2025

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Al Rayyan SC (QAT) v Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA)

Al Rayyan: The odds may be stacked against them but Al Rayyan SC will not hold back when they face Al Ahli Saudi FC in the first leg of their AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 Round of 16 tie on Tuesday.

While Qatar's Al Rayyan had to work hard to seal qualification, Al Ahli cruised through the League Stage and only finished second to fellow Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal SFC on goal difference.

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Pakhtakor (UZB) v Al Hilal SFC (KSA)

Wed, 05 Mar, 2025

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Pakhtakor (UZB) v Al Hilal SFC (KSA)

Tashkent: Pakhtakor will have to brace themselves for a hurting Al Hilal SFC when the two sides meet in the first leg of their AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 Round of 16 tie on Tuesday.

Pakhtakor will welcome Al Hilal to the JAR Stadium having just managed to qualify for the Round of 16 while the Saudi Arabia side topped the West Zone League Stage with an impressive 22 points but struggling for form in recent matches.

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Buriram United FC (CHN) v Johor Darul Ta'zim (MAS)

Tue, 04 Mar, 2025

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Buriram United FC (CHN) v Johor Darul Ta'zim (MAS)

Buriram: Buriram United will aim to maximise home ground advantage when they face Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim in their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 Round of 16 tie on Tuesday.

It promises to be a feisty ASEAN derby, with Buriram United well placed to defend their Thai League 1 title while Johor Darul Ta'zim have already secured an 11th consecutive Malaysian crown.

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Shanghai Port FC (CHN) v Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN)

Tue, 04 Mar, 2025

Preview - R16 (1st Leg): Shanghai Port FC (CHN) v Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN)

Shanghai: Shanghai Port FC will be hoping for a better result when they host Yokohama F. Marinos in the first leg of their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 Round of 16 tie on Tuesday.

Japan's Marinos defeated China PR's Shanghai Port 2-0 when the sides met on Matchday Eight of the East Zone League Stage.

#ACLElite - Bergson wins best goal of MD8 (East) poll

Mon, 03 Mar, 2025

#ACLElite - Bergson wins best goal of MD8 (East) poll

Kuala Lumpur: Bergson's precise strike against against FC Pohang Steelers has been voted as the best goal of Matchday Eight of the AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 (East).

Bergson's effort in the 52nd minute gave Johor Darul Ta'zim a 2-1 lead in their match against the Korea Republic giants as the Malaysian champions eventually ran out 5-2 winners to seal progression to the Round of 16 in style.

Earning 60% of the votes, Bergson now joins teammate Arif Aiman in advancing to the semi-finals.

Preview - QF (1st Leg): Shabab Al Ahli (UAE) v Sharjah FC (UAE)

Thu, 06 Mar, 2025

Preview - QF (1st Leg): Shabab Al Ahli (UAE) v Sharjah FC (UAE)

Dubai: It will be a clash between the top two teams from the United Arab Emirates when Shabab Al Ahli host Sharjah FC in the first leg of their AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 quarter-final on Wednesday.

Shabab Al Ahli are top of the UAE Pro League, perched a comfortable seven points ahead of Sharjah with just nine matches remaining.

Preview - QF (1st Leg): Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) v Lion City Sailors FC (SGP)

Wed, 05 Mar, 2025

Preview - QF (1st Leg): Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) v Lion City Sailors FC (SGP)

Hiroshima: Sanfrecce Hiroshima will start as overwhelming favourites when they welcome Lion City Sailors to the Hiroshima Soccer Stadium for the first leg of their AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 quarter-final on Wednesday.

Japan's Sanfrecce have in cruise mode in their continental challenge and having carried their form into the 2025 J1 League season, will expect a resounding lead to take into next week's return leg.

#ChallengeLeague - Preview: Quarter-finals (1st Leg)

Mon, 10 Mar, 2025

#ChallengeLeague - Preview: Quarter-finals (1st Leg)

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Challenge League™ 2024-2025 returns with quarter-final action to be played on Wednesday and Thursday.

The remaining sides will be eager to resume their respective campaigns, with all eight dreaming of achieving continental glory.

The-AFC.com takes a look at what lies ahead for fans across the continent.

Europe Wrap: Shomurodov shines; Iredale, Nieuwenhof and Asano grab first goals

Tue, 04 Mar, 2025

Europe Wrap: Shomurodov shines; Iredale, Nieuwenhof and Asano grab first goals

Kuala Lumpur: Australia’s Jack Iredale and Calem Nieuwenhof as well as Japan’s Takuma Asano made it a week to remember as they bagged their first goals this season for Hibernian and Hearts in the Scottish Premiership and Mallorca in the La Liga respectively.

Asano’s compatriot Daizen Maeda, Korea Republic’s Yang Hyun-jun and Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov also led several other Asian stars in scoring and making goals across Europe.
 
Follow the-AFC.com as we look at what Asia’s finest have been up to in Europe this past week.