AFC Cup 2022 Archive

For two decades, the AFC Cup provided plenty of thrilling moments with many spectacular goals that will live long in the memory of Asian football lovers.

From bicycle kick to backheel flick and long-range screamer to brilliant solo effort, there is plenty of variety on offer as the-AFC.com rewinds the clock to 10 of the greatest goals ever witnessed in the competition’s history.

Over the AFC Cup's two-decade-long history since launching in 2004, numerous players across the continent have shone brightly, providing unforgettable moments to savour for Asian football fans.

The-AFC.com selects 10 superstars who lit up the AFC Cup, making it one of the most enjoyable competitions in the Asian football calendar.

In accordance with the finalised AFC Club Competitions 2024/25 slot allocations and club licensing requirements, 27 teams from across 21 Member Associations (MAs) – 12 from the West region and 15 from the East – qualify directly to the Group Stage, along with the three teams (two West, one East) that will be eliminated from the Preliminary Stage of the AFC Champions League Elite™.

Vukovic was in goal as the Gosford-based club defeated Al Ahed in the AFC Cup final earlier this month and also captained the team that won the A-League Premiers Plate before a 3-1 extra-time win over Melbourne Victory to retain the A-League Championship on Saturday.

Taking place at a prestigious ceremony following the conclusion of the 34th AFC Congress 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand, a suite of dynamic brands was presented for each of the four new competitions: the AFC Champions League Elite™ (ACL Elite), AFC Women’s Champions League™ (AWCL), AFC Champions League Two™ (ACL Two) and AFC Challenge LeagueTM (ACGL).

As the Mariners hoisted the AFC Cup™ trophy for the last time, Sunday’s victory marked the end of an era for Asian club football with the 20-year-old competition setting the path for the new and improved revamped three-tier club competition structure later this year.

Alou Kuol's 84th minute strike at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex clinched the title for Central Coast, with the triumph coming a decade after Western Sydney Wanderers had lifted the AFC Champions League™ title.

Seeking to win the AFC Cup for a second time, Lebanon's Al Ahed had to be satisfied with a second place finish following Alou Kuol's late winner for Australia's Central Coast Mariners.

The defender played a key role in Central Coast's AFC Cup journey, with the Australian club defeating Lebanon's Al Ahed FC 1-0 in the final at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Sunday.

On their debut in the competition, Mariners became just the second Australian club to win an AFC competition, a decade after Western Sydney Wanderers won the AFC Champions League™ on their own debut.

The final marked the last-ever game in the AFC Cup which will make way for the three-tier AFC competitions from next season; the AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League 2 and AFC Challenge League.