Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: With the AFC Cup Inter-Zone Play-Off final featuring DPR Korea's 4.25 and Turkmenistan's Altyn Asyr, we roll back the clock to the last time clubs from the two nations met in an AFC competition.
The AFC's third club competition became defunct after the 2014 edition, with clubs from nations that previously participated in the President's Cup now offered the chance to compete in the AFC Cup.
The last-ever AFC President's Cup match brought together Turkmenistan's FC HTTU head-to-head with DPR Korea's Rimyongsu in the 2014 final held in Sri Lanka's biggest city, Colombo. Four years on, teams from the two countries are vying for a place in the AFC Cup final.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/sheikhrussel_vs_rimyongsu8303.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/afc_president_cup_httu.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/sheikhrussel_vs_rimyongsu8180.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/srilankaforce_vs_httu_asgabat9252.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/httu_2014_afc_presidents_cup_winners.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Among the many goalscorers to have grabbed the headlines in the 2018 AFC Cup has been Altyn Asyr’s Altymyrat Annadurdyyev, who has struck eight times in as many games in the Turkmenistan side’s march to the Inter-Zone final.
The pacey forward was one of the main reasons the Ashgabat club advanced to the knockout rounds for the first time, after falling short in both 2016 and 2017, and he will be key if Altyn Asyr are to defeat DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC over two legs.
Annadurdyyev is three goals behind the competition’s top scorer, An Il-bom of 4.25, and should Altyn Asyr overcome the Pyongyang team, then the 25-year-old may find himself in the position to finish as the leading marksman in a campaign that has been dominated by the continent’s strikers.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Ashgabat: Vahyt Orazsahedov insists Altyn Asyr have set their sights on winning the AFC Cup after the Turkmen side’s 2-0 victory over India’s JSW Bengaluru in the second leg of the Inter-Zone semi-final on Wednesday secured a 5-2 aggregate victory and a place in the Inter-Zone final against DPR Korea's 4.25 SC.
Altyn Asyr went into the second leg as favourites after winning 3-2 in India a week previously in a game that saw them race into a 3-0 lead before 2016 runners-up Bengaluru gave themselves hope ahead of the reverse meeting by pulling two back in the final 30 minutes.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Ashgabat: Altyn Asyr cruised to a 5-2 aggregate win over JSW Bengaluru in the AFC Cup Inter-Zone semi-final, with a 2-0 victory in the second leg on Wednesday.
The Turkmenistan side now face 4.25 SC of DPR Korea in the Inter-Zone final, having eased to victory over the Indian Super League side.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Al Jazeera and Air Force Club prepare to lock horns for the third time in the 2018 AFC Cup, and this time a place in the final is the prize.
The Jordanian surprise package and the reigning champions from Iraq have already faced-off twice in the group stage, with both fixtures ending in draws. Air Force Club travel to Amman for the first leg of the West Asia Zonal final, hoping to move a step closer to third successive AFC Cup title.
We spoke to journalist Hassanin Mubarak, who covers Middle Eastern football for London-based daily newspaper Arab News and has contributed to the likes of World Soccer and When Saturday Comes magazines.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: As Air Force Club prepare continue their pursuit of a hat-trick of AFC Cup titles, we recall how the Iraqi side won the first-ever West Asia Zonal final 12 months ago.
Following the introduction of a new format last year, Jordan's Al Jazeera are set to lock horns with the reigning champions for a place in the 2018 AFC Cup final, where the West Asia Zonal final winners face the Inter-Zone final winners.
Air Force Club have only lost one tie in the competition since last year, against Syria's Al Wahda in the first leg of the 2017 West Asia Zonal final.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Pyongyang: DPR Korea's 4.25 SC beat Home United of Singapore 9-1 in the second leg of the 2018 AFC Cup Inter-Zone Semi-final on Tuesday, to advance with an 11-1 aggregate score.
After claiming a 2-0 victory in the first leg in Singapore last week, the hosts went into the game at Kim Il Sung Stadium as strong favourites but fell behind in the 19th minute when Song Ui-young scored his ninth goal of a superb campaign to give Home United genuine hope of a comeback.
But Om Chol-song levelled four minutes later to ease any nerves among 4.25 before Rim Chol-min gave them the lead on the 30-minute mark to leave the visitors needing to score a further three to progress.