Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: With Air Force Club and Altyn Asyr set to lock horns in the 2018 AFC Cup Final on Saturday, join the-AFC.com as we recall how the Iraqi side won their second successive title only 12 months ago.
This will be the first AFC Cup final in history to witness a side from Turkmenistan after Altyn Asyr knocked out DPR Korea's 4.25. On the other hand Air Force Club are one win away from becoming the first club to ever win the AFC Cup three consecutive times.
One year ago, Air Force Club had to defeat another team from central Asia, FC Istiklol of Tajikistan, in the final to lift the trophy.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/istiklol_celebrate.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: Humam Tariq has predicted that defending AFC Cup champions Air Force Club will win an unprecedented third successive title when the Iraqi side meet Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr in the final at Basra Sports City on Saturday.
The Iraq international, who now plays for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Esteghlal, had a hugely successful spell at Air Force Club and was part of the side that won back-to-back AFC Cup titles in 2016 and 2017.
Air Force Club made their debut in the competition in 2016 and won it at the first time of asking after beating India’s JSW Bengaluru 1-0 in the final, before returning a year later to defeat Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol by the same scoreline.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Basra: Altymyrat Annadurdyyev has claimed Altyn Asyr’s determination on the road has helped the Turkmen side gain a number of impressive results as they prepare for their toughest task yet in the 2018 AFC Cup final against defending champions Air Force Club of Iraq at Basra Sports City on Saturday.
The Ashgabat side progressed from the group stage following an injury-time winner against FC Istiklol in Tajikistan. They then defeated JSW Bengaluru 3-2 in India in the Inter-Zone semi-final and gained an impressive 2-2 draw in Pyongyang against DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC in the Inter-Zone final, before sealing progression both times on home turf.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: On Saturday, Turkmenistan's Altyn Asyr will be looking to become only the second Central Asian team to lift the AFC Cup when they face defending champions Air Force Club.
Ahead of the 2018 AFC Cup final, the-AFC.com takes a look at the Altyn Asyr players who could be the ones to watch. For the Air Force Club key men, click here.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: On Saturday, defending champions Air Force Club of Iraq will look for an unprecedented third AFC Cup title in a row when they face Turkmen side Altyn Asyr in Basra.
Ahead of the 2018 AFC Cup final, the-AFC.com takes a look at the players who could be the ones to watch, beginning with the holders Air Force Club.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Bienvenido Marañón's brace in Ceres Negros' 4-0 victory over Bali United on Wednesday not only helped the Filipino side to three points, it also saw the Spaniard leapfrog Jordanian Mahmoud Shelbaieh to become the competition's all-time leading scorer on 35 goals.
Having begun the 2020 tournament on 30 goals, last year's top scorer wasted no time in picking up where he left off, with two goals in an opening-day victory over Cambodia's Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC, before a penalty against Vietnam's Than Quang Ninh saw him move within a goal of former Al Wehdat striker Shelbaieh.
Marañón's double against Bali saw the prolific striker move into pole position and there will likely be many more to follow if he continues in this form. The-AFC.com looks back at his achievement, as well as those of the iconic AFC Cup scorers who the 33-year-old has overtaken in recent years.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: After reaching 25 AFC Cup goals, Hammadi Ahmed has his eyes set on a new record later this month; a third consecutive title.
“We promise the fans, the coaching staff and the board to bring home our third AFC Cup title in a row,” the Air Force Club captain confidently declared on behalf of his teammates following their 2018 AFC Cup West Asia Zonal Final first leg against Jordan’s Al Jazeera.
This type of defiant statement exemplifies the character of Ahmed.