#AFCCup: Central Coast Mariners - Road to the Final

Wed, 01 May, 2024

#AFCCup: Central Coast Mariners - Road to the Final

Muscat: After becoming the first-ever club from Australia to reach the final of the AFC Cup™, Central Coast Mariners will aim to go one step further when they take on Lebanon’s Al Ahed FC in an eagerly-awaited title clash on Sunday.

With a new three-tier system featuring the AFC Champions League Elite, the AFC Champions League 2 and the AFC Challenge League to be introduced from the 2024/25 season, both Al Ahed and Central Coast will be eager to bring the curtains down on the two-decade-old competition by emerging as its last-ever champion.
 
With excitement growing ahead of the title showdown at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, join the-AFC.com as we look back at Central Coast’s memorable journey to the AFC Cup 2023/24 final.

www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_cup/video/afccup_-_group_g_|_central_coast_mariners_aus_9_-_1_stallion_laguna_fc_phi.html

#AFCCup: Al Ahed FC - Road to the Final

Thu, 02 May, 2024

#AFCCup: Al Ahed FC - Road to the Final

Muscat: Twenty years since it started, the AFC Cup™ reaches its end point with Lebanon’s Al Ahed competing against Australia’s Central Coast Mariners in the final of the 2023/24 edition, the last before it makes way for the AFC's new club competitions structure.

While this is the maiden appearance for the Australian side, very few teams have been as ever-present as Al Ahed, who appeared in the AFC Cup 12 times. The current iteration of the team had a rollercoaster ride of a season, taking them to the final. The-AFC.com relives the journey of the team from Beirut to Sunday’s final.

#AFCCup: Memorable Finals

Tue, 30 Apr, 2024

#AFCCup: Memorable Finals

Doha: After 18 finals which produced 12 different champions representing nine different nations, the AFC Cup™ comes to an end with Al Ahed SC and Central Coast Mariners contesting the 2023-24 final, the last one before the competition makes way for a new AFC Clubs Competitions format.

Over the years, AFC Cup finals saw their fair share of goals, drama and unforgettable celebrations. Ahead of the last AFC Cup final, the-AFC.com looks back at five of the most memorable final showdowns in the history of the competition.

#AFCCup: Records & Milestones

Tue, 30 Apr, 2024

#AFCCup: Records & Milestones

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Cup™ 2023/24 final between Lebanon’s Al Ahed SC and Central Coast Mariners of Australia on Sunday marks the end of an era as the game will bring the curtain down on the continental competition for the last time.

The tournament’s 19th edition will be its last as a glorious chapter in Asian football comes to an end two decades after the AFC Cup was launched back in 2004.
 
As the-AFC.com continues its build-up towards the grand finale, we look back at some of the records and milestones from through the years.

#AFCCup - Revisited

Mon, 29 Apr, 2024

#AFCCup - Revisited

Riyadh: When Lebanon’s Al Ahed take on Australia’s Central Coast Mariners at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Sunday in the last ever AFC Cup™ final, the competition will have gone full circle in its two decades of existence.

Twenty years and three months earlier, it was another Lebanese team that kicked-off this iconic competition, and coincidentally, it was on the same famous ground in the Omani capital Muscat that Olympic Beirut then opened the 2004 edition against Syria’s Al Jaish.
 
After 19 editions and 12 different champions that could go up to 13 on Sunday, the curtain falls on the AFC Cup as the AFC club competitions enter a new era with the introduction of a three-tier system including the AFC Champions League Elite, the AFC Champions League 2 and the AFC Challenge League in 2024/25.

Six teams to contest Qualifiers Playoff for Saudi Arabia 2027

Tue, 30 Apr, 2024

Six teams to contest Qualifiers Playoff for Saudi Arabia 2027

Kuala Lumpur: Three prized slots in the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ Qualifiers Final Round are on offer via Playoffs with the official draw on May 9, 2024, set to chart the path forward for six teams.

Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Macau, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste will be paired in a matchup of the six lowest-ranked losing teams from the FIFA World Cup 2026 – Preliminary Competition and the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 1 with home and away encounters scheduled for September 5 (first leg) and September 10 (second leg). 

Know The Coach - Go Oiwa (Japan)

Wed, 01 May, 2024

Know The Coach - Go Oiwa (Japan)

Doha: Go Oiwa has achieved much success since retiring as a player in 2010 and moving into coaching, with the Japanese tactician aiming to add the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ title to his list of achievements.

Having suffered a premature exit two years ago, Oiwa will lead his Young Samurai Blue squad to face Uzbekistan in a mouth-watering AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024™ final at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Friday.
 
Oiwa’s side were shown the door by Uzbekistan in the semi-finals of the 2022 edition but Doha has fond memories for the Japanese as this was where they won their only AFc U23 Asian Cup title in 2016.

Know The Coach - Timur Kapadze (Uzbekistan)

Wed, 01 May, 2024

Know The Coach - Timur Kapadze (Uzbekistan)

Doha: It’s not often that football presents a second chance but for Timur Kapadze, the opportunity has arisen for him to finally lay his hand on the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ trophy.

Two years ago, the 42-year-old led Uzbekistan to the final on home soil, only to be denied the title by Saudi Arabia and Kapadze will seek to make amends when his side face Japan in Friday’s AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024™ final at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. 
 
The former midfielder has already etched his name in the annals of Uzbekistan history after guiding them to Olympics qualification but Kapadze is determined to emulate Ravshan Khaydarov, who led the Central Asian side to the AFC U23 Asian Cup title in 2018.

Road to Final - Japan

Tue, 30 Apr, 2024

Road to Final - Japan

Doha: Japan will face Uzbekistan in the final of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024™ final aiming to add to the title they won in Doha in 2016.

Go Oiwa's side endured a challenging route to the final, having been drawn in a tough Group B.
 
The-AFC.com retraces the East Asian's side journey to Friday's decider. 

Road to Final - Uzbekistan

Tue, 30 Apr, 2024

Road to Final - Uzbekistan

Doha: Uzbekistan will be appearing in their third AFC U23 Asian Cup™ final in four editions when they play Japan in the Qatar 2024 decider on Friday.

Timur Kapadze's side have been in scintillating form throughout the tournament as they look to become the first side to lift the trophy twice.
 
The-AFC.com takes a look at Uzbekistan's impressive run to the final.