Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The 2018 AFC Cup returns to action at the beginning of the week with teams from the West and ASEAN Zones set to play their second round of fixtures.
With a number of exciting match-ups to look forward to, the-AFC.com picks out five things to look out for in the coming week as the continental competition gets into full flow.
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: After a two-week break since the first round of fixtures, the 2018 AFC Cup returns with the teams in the West Zone kicking off Matchday Two on Monday.
Groups A and B are set to take to the field on Monday while Group C will follow suit a day later, with a number of exciting ties to be held over the two days.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Yangon: Shan United will be left to rue missed opportunities following a 1-0 loss to Singapore’s Home United in their opening Group F encounter in the 2018 AFC Cup on Tuesday.
Playing at home, Shan United dominated proceedings but couldn’t make it count and were made to pay when Home United struck on the counter attack with just 15 minutes remaining.
Missed Opportunities
Soe Myat Min’s men spurned chance after chance in an otherwise dominant display from the champions of Myanmar.
The home side pushed forward in waves, and won twice as many corners (12 to 6) showing how much pressure they were able to put on the visitors’ defence.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Johor Bahru: Johor Darul Ta’zim got off to a winning start in Group H of the 2018 AFC Cup after cruising to a 3-0 victory over Indonesia’s Persija Jakarta at a packed Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium on Wednesday.
The 2015 winners came racing out of the blocks and almost went in front in the third minute when Fadhli Shas headed Safiq Rahim’s free-kick onto the crossbar, before Luciano Figueroa’s header from Rahim’s corner three minutes later was superbly saved by goalkeeper Andritany Ardhiyasa.
Johor were controlling the game and took a deserved lead just before the half-hour mark after wonderful link up play saw Pereyra Diaz find Azrif Nasrulhaq, who crossed for Hazwan Bakri to finish from six yards out.
The Malaysian side then doubled their advantage three minutes before the interval when Pereyra Diaz evaded the offside trap to latch onto Afiq Fazail’s lobbed ball, round goalkeeper Ardhiyasa and finish from the right side of the penalty area.
Pereyra Diaz capitalised on a defensive mix-up nine minutes after the restart and looked certain to add a third as he closed in on goal, but was denied by an outstanding reactive save by Ardhiyasa from point-blank range as Persija somehow remained in the game.
With 19 minutes remaining Persija captain Bambang Pamungkas missed a gilt-edged chance to get on the scoresheet after a mistake by Hariss Harun, when the forward got away from goalkeeper Farizal Marlias, only to strike the post with the goal at his mercy.
The Indonesian side were then made to pay with 14 minutes remaining when Pereyra Diaz found substitute Safawi Rasid, who lashed home an unstoppable left-foot effort to round off the scoring.
Johor will next travel to Vietnam to face Song Lam Nghe An in two weeks’ time, while Persija will host Singapore’s Home United, who lost 2-0 to the Vietnamese side on their tournament opener on Saturday.