News

MD1: Al Ain FC (UAE) 4-0 Al Nassr Club (KSA)

Wed, 16 Sep, 2026

MD1: Al Ain FC (UAE) 4-0 Al Nassr Club (KSA)

Al Ain: Houssine Rahimi struck twice to take Al Ain FC to a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr Club in their opening AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27™ fixture on Tuesday.

Rahimi netted in the 25th minute and followed up with a second after the break before his brother Soufiane added a third in the 72nd minute, with Giorgos Giakoumakis wrapping up five minutes before the end to give the former champions from the United Arab Emirates a well-deserved opening win. 

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_elite.html/photo/md1-al-ain-fc-uae-v-al-nassr-club-ksa

MD1: Johor Darul Ta’zim (MAS) 1-1 Buriram United (THA)

Tue, 15 Sep, 2026

MD1: Johor Darul Ta’zim (MAS) 1-1 Buriram United (THA)

Iskandar Puteri: Neil Etheridge made a late penalty save as 10-man Buriram United held on to claim a 1-1 draw with Johor Darul Ta’zim at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Tuesday in the opening round of matches in the league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27™.

The former Philippines goalkeeper kept out Bergson da Silva’s 87th minute spot-kick, saving at full stretch to his right to push the ball to safety after Arif Aiman had been brought down in the area by defender Eduardo Mancha.
 
That crucial intervention came after Stefan Schimmer had scored in the 43rd minute for Buriram United to cancel out Oscar Arribas’ 26th minute opener, when Etheridge should have done better to keep out the long range effort.
 
Kenny Dougall was sent off 12 minutes into the second half for a second bookable offence while JDT also finished the game with 10 men when Eddy Israfilov was dismissed for a dangerous challenge on Uros Radakovic in the 89th minute.

MD1: Beijing FC (CHN) 3-1 FC Pohang Steelers (KOR)

Tue, 15 Sep, 2026

MD1: Beijing FC (CHN) 3-1 FC Pohang Steelers (KOR)

Beijing: Early goals either side of half-time steered Beijing FC to a 3-1 win over FC Pohang Steelers in their AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27™ encounter on Tuesday.

A back-and-forth opening quarter hour saw Beijing surge ahead through Chadrac Akolo before his second-minute strike was cancelled out by a sixth-minute Jakob Tranziska penalty, with Zhang Xizhe restoring the home side’s advantage in the 12th minute.

Jeremy Dudziak struck a minute into the second half to ensure the Chinese Super League champions left with their first three points from an entertaining opening match.

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_elite.html/photo/md1-beijing-fc-chn-v-fc-pohang-steelers-kor

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_elite.html/photo/md1-johor-darul-ta’zim-mas-v-buriram-united-tha

MD1: Kashima Antlers FC (JPN) 7-1 Newcastle Jets FC (AUS)

Tue, 15 Sep, 2026

MD1: Kashima Antlers FC (JPN) 7-1 Newcastle Jets FC (AUS)

Kashima: Kashima Antlers FC made a statement return to the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27™ with a 7-1 win over Newcastle Jets on Tuesday.

Aleksandar Cavric starred with a hat-trick for the Japanese side with Homare Tokuda netting a brace as the 2018 champions, who last featured in the continental stage in 2019, marked their comeback in emphatic fashion.

MD1: Ratchaburi FC (THA) 4-6 Shanghai Port FC (CHN)

Tue, 15 Sep, 2026

MD1: Ratchaburi FC (THA) 4-6 Shanghai Port FC (CHN)

Ratchaburi: Prince Ampen’s first-half hat-trick sent Shanghai Port FC on their way to a frantic 6-4 victory over hosts Ratchaburi FC on Tuesday as the Chinese Super League champions made a winning start to the league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27™.

Ampen netted in the 31st and 36th minutes before completing his treble in the first minute of first half stoppage time as Kevin Muscat’s side picked up all three points against the Thai League 1 side.

Wu Lei was also on target for the visitors in the 51st minute before a double from substitute Njiva Rakotoharimalala gave Ratchaburi brief hope of a comeback prior to Jaume Grau’s fifth four minutes from time.

Njiva completed his hat-trick and Ekanit Panya scored from close range in a chaotic finish to the match with Leonardo netting his side’s sixth in the 96th minute to put the finally put the result beyond doubt.

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_elite.html/photo/md1-kashima-antlers-fc-jpn-v-newcastle-jets-fc-aus

MD1: Gamba Osaka (JPN) 4-1 Cong An Ha Noi FC (VIE)

Tue, 15 Sep, 2026

MD1: Gamba Osaka (JPN) 4-1 Cong An Ha Noi FC (VIE)

Suita: Takashi Usami led a slow-starting Gamba Osaka to a 4-1 win over Cong An Ha Noi FC in their AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27™ opening tie at the Suita City Football Stadium on Tuesday.

Gamba, last season's AFC Champions League Two™ winners and making their first appearance on this stage since 2021, took the lead in the 29th minute through Usami after the Vietnam side had controlled the first half hour.
 
The J1 League outfit pulled further ahead after the break through Yusei Toshida before Usami added a second in the 67th minute and Koshiro Sumi closed in stoppage time to deny Cong An Ha Noi a winning start to their maiden continental appearance.

MD1: Daejeon Hanacitizen FC (KOR) 1-0 Kyoto Sanga FC (JPN)

Tue, 15 Sep, 2026

MD1: Daejeon Hanacitizen FC (KOR) 1-0 Kyoto Sanga FC (JPN)

Daejeon: Daejeon Hanacitizen FC opened their AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27™ campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Kyoto Sanga FC on Monday.

The match at Daejeon World Cup Stadium saw the home side produce 17 attempts to Kyoto’s one but needed a late winner from Victor Bobsin to claim the points.

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_elite.html/photo/md1-daejeon-hana-citizen-fc-kor-v-kyoto-sanga-fc-jpn