Wang lauds China PR’s fighting spirit; DPR Korea’s Ri unhappy with draw

Mon, 04 Mar, 2024

Wang lauds China PR’s fighting spirit; DPR Korea’s Ri unhappy with draw

Tashkent: China PR’s Wang Jun praised his team’s never-say-die attitude after they fought back to hold DPR Korea to a 1-1 draw in their opening AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2024 Group B tie on Monday.

The Chinese tactician admitted that DPR Korea had the better players but the togetherness and fighting spirit shown by his charges left him very impressed at the end of the match.

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Group B: DPR Korea 1-1 China PR

Mon, 04 Mar, 2024

Group B: DPR Korea 1-1 China PR

Tashkent: DPR Korea and China PR played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in their opening Group B match of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2024 at Do’stlik Stadium on Monday.

Late strikes from Kim Song-gyong and Huo Yuexin saw the teams sharing the spoils at the Do’stlik Stadium with DPR Korea to face Vietnam next while China will meet Japan. 

Group B: Japan 10-0 Vietnam

Tue, 05 Mar, 2024

Group B: Japan 10-0 Vietnam

Tashkent: Japan produced a sparkling display to defeat Vietnam 10-0 in their AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2024 Group B opener at the JAR Stadium on Monday.

Manaka Matsukubo led the way with a first half hat-trick as six-time AFC U19 Women’s Championship winners Japan underlined their title credentials with a dominant performance.
 
Next on the horizon for Japan is a clash against China PR on Thursday, while Vietnam take on DPR Korea.

Hsieh wants Chinese Taipei to keep improving; Uzbekistan’s Khanjariev laments poor second half

Mon, 04 Mar, 2024

Hsieh wants Chinese Taipei to keep improving; Uzbekistan’s Khanjariev laments poor second half

Tashkent: Hsieh Chih-chun wants Chinese Taipei to use their 2-0 win over Uzbekistan in Group A of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2024 as a stepping stone for bigger and better things in the tournament.

The 53-year-old head coach was pleased with his side’s opening victory but was well aware of the tougher challenges ahead with matches against Australia and Korea Republic to come.

Australia’s Trimis credits half-time insights for win

Mon, 04 Mar, 2024

Australia’s Trimis credits half-time insights for win

Tashkent: Player of the Match Peta Trimis credited Australia’s come-from-behind victory in their AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup™ 2024 Group A opener against Korea Republic on Sunday to the tactical insights shared by head coach Leah Blayney.

Australia were on the verge of defeat after Jeon Yug-yeong’s 25th-minute goal before Trimis sparked their comeback with the equaliser with Naomi Chinnama hitting the winner late in the match.
 
Leah Blaney’s charges are second in the standings behind Chinese Taipei, who defeated hosts Uzbekistan 2-0 in the group's other fixture.

Blayney praises resilient Australia; Park vows Korea Republic will bounce back

Sun, 03 Mar, 2024

Blayney praises resilient Australia; Park vows Korea Republic will bounce back

Tashkent: Head coach Leah Blayney applauded Australia for displaying a fighting mentality in their 2-1 win over Korea Republic in Group A of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup™ 2024 Uzbekistan on Sunday.

Australia found themselves trailing to Jeon Yug-yeong’s 25th minute goal but Blayney’s side came back fighting under challenging conditions in the second half to win through goals from Peta Trimis and Naomi Chinnama.

Rahimi strike gives Al Ain advantage over Al Nassr

Tue, 05 Mar, 2024

Rahimi strike gives Al Ain advantage over Al Nassr

Al Ain: Soufiane Rahimi’s first-half goal was the difference as Al Ain FC took an important 1-0 lead against Al Nassr in the first leg of their AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 quarter-final at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Monday.

The two sides lock horns again in Riyadh in a week, with the aggregate winners set to face Al Hilal SFC or Al Ittihad in the semi-finals.

Preview - QF: Al Hilal SFC (KSA) v Al Ittihad FC (KSA)

Wed, 06 Mar, 2024

Preview - QF: Al Hilal SFC (KSA) v Al Ittihad FC (KSA)

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s two most successful clubs, Al Hilal SFC and Al Ittihad FC go head-to-head at Kingdom Arena in the first leg of their AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 quarter-final on Tuesday.

Between them, the two powerhouses have six Asian titles, with Al Hilal having lifted the trophy a record four times in 1991, 2000, 2019 and 2021 while Al Ittihad are the only side to have won it twice in a row, doing so in 2004 and 2005.

Preview - QF: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC (KOR) v Ulsan Hyundai FC (KOR)

Tue, 05 Mar, 2024

Preview - QF: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC (KOR) v Ulsan Hyundai FC (KOR)

Jeonju: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC will have no room for error when they host Korea Republic rivals Ulsan Hyundai FC in the first leg of their AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 quarter-final on Tuesday.

The sides will be meeting on the continental stage for the fourth time but crucially, it is Ulsan who hold the advantage in their recent match-ups.

Inter-Zone Semi-finals: Ones to Watch

Fri, 01 Mar, 2024

Inter-Zone Semi-finals: Ones to Watch

Kuala Lumpur: Four clubs representing four different countries will battle for their place in the next round of the AFC Cup™ 2023/24 when the first legs of the Inter-Zone semi-finals take place on March 6 and 7.

Kyrgyz Republic’s FK Abdysh-Ata Kant and Taichung Futuro FC of Chinese Taipei will face off in the first of the semi-final ties on Wednesday while Australia's Central Coast Mariners will take on India’s Odisha FC a day later.  
 
Ahead of the crunch match-ups, the-AFC.com takes a look at the players who could decide the fortunes of their respective sides.

Akhmedov confident Abdysh-Ata Kant will progress

Mon, 04 Mar, 2024

Akhmedov confident Abdysh-Ata Kant will progress

Bishkek: Head coach Islam Akhmedov will have a well prepared squad at his disposal when FK Abdysh-Ata Kant take on Taichung Futuro in the first leg of their AFC Cup™ 2023/24 Inter-Zone semi-final on Wednesday.

The two sides meet in Bishkek, with the return leg a week later. The winners will face either Australia’s Central Coast Mariners or Odisha FC of India in the Inter-Zone final.

Pen: Taichung Futuro living a dream

Mon, 04 Mar, 2024

Pen: Taichung Futuro living a dream

Gaoxiong: Their domestic season may not have started but that won’t stop Taichung Futuro from reaching for the stars in the AFC Cup™ 2023/24 Inter-Zone semi-finals. 

The Chinese Taipei side face Kyrgyz Republic’s Abdysh-Ata Kant, with head coach Pen Wu-shung’s side travelling to Bishkek for Wednesday’s first leg.