Asian Champion's League

[Freddy Adu]

Event Information

The AFC Champions League is Asia’s premier club competition, pitting 29 club sides from 15 countries against one another for a US$500,000 winners’ purse - and a place in the FIFA Club World Championship.

Teams qualify for the AFC Champions League as their national league champions or as the winners of a national cup competition (as specified by National Associations where there is more than one cup competition).

The 15 countries providing teams for the competition are those designated ‘mature’ by the AFC’s Vision Asia blueprint for the development of Asian football. (The AFC’s Vision Asia ranking takes a number of factors into consideration and, unlike the FIFA/Coca-Cola rankings, is not purely based on performance at national team level.)

Those countries are: Australia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Korea Republic, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

[Freddy Adu]

Seongnam, Al Wahda Complete Last Four Line-Up

Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma of Korea won 2-0 at Al Karama while UAE’s Al Wahda went through on away goals with a 1-1 at the Saudi home of Al Hilal.

Al Karama 0 (1) - 2 (2) Seongnam – Seongnam win 4-1 on aggregate

For the second time in a year, Al Karama were dumped out of the competition by a team from South Korea –this time the champions. Seongnam became the first team to win at the fortress home of the Syrian giants in ten Asian Champions league games.

Defending a slender 2-1 lead from the first leg, the Koreans were ahead after just nine minutes as Brazilian striker Mota curled home a free-kick for his sixth goal of the tournament.

That left an uphill task for last season’s runners-up and when Kim Dong-hyun headed home a second-half goal, it was all over for the team from Homs.

Seongnam will meet Urawa Reds in the semi-final. The first leg takes place next Wednesday.

Al Hilal 1 (0) - 1 (0) Al Wahda - Al Wahda win on away goals

Al Hilal’s poor record in the Asian Champions League continued as the Saudi giants were dumped out on away goals by their UAE rivals.

After a goalless first leg, UAE national team starlet Ismail Matar finally broke the deadlock after 18 minutes of the second leg in Riyadh.

The hosts had a great chance to draw level but star of the Asian Cup Yasser Al-Qahtani missed a penalty just before the half-hour.

The scoreline stayed the same until the 86th minute when Al Hilal’s Libyan midfielder Tareq Al Taib shot home to ensure a frantic finish.

The UAE club will face Sepahan of Iran in the semi-finals.

Goal.com - Asia - ACL: Seongnam, Al Wahda Complete Last Four Line-Up

[D. Stankovic]

Urawa has caught my eye, they have been so good lately

[Freddy Adu]

FT

Al Wahda

0 - 0

Sepahan

[egypt man]

Group B P W D L F A Pts Al Hilal (KSA) 4 2 2 0 5 1 8 Pakhtakor (UZB) 4 2 0 2 3 5 6 Al Kuwait (KUW) 4 0 2 2 2 4 2 Esteghlal (IRN) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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Group C P W D L F A Pts Al Karama (SYR) 6 3 2 1 11 7 11 Neftchi (UZB) 6 3 1 2 6 7 10 Al Najaf (IRQ) 6 2 2 2 9 8 8 Al Sadd (QAT) 6 1 1 4 6 10 4

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Group D P W D L F A Pts Sepahan (IRN) 6 4 1 1 12 5 13 Al Shabab (KSA) 6 3 1 2 9 3 10 Al Ain (UAE) 6 1 3 2 5 8 6 Al Ittihad (SYR) 6 0 3 3 3 13 3

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Group E P W D L F A Pts Urawa Reds (JPN) 6 2 4 0 9 5 10 Sydney FC (AUS) 6 2 3 1 8 5 9 Persik Kediri (IDN) 6 2 1 3 6 16 7 Shanghai Shenhua (CHN) 6 1 2 3 7 4 5

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Group F P W D L F A Pts Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) 6 5 1 0 15 4 16 Chunnam Dragons (KOR) 6 3 1 2 7 8 10 Arema Malang (IDN) 6 1 1 4 2 9 4 Bangkok University (THA) 6 0 3 3 4 7 3

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Group G P W D L F A Pts Seongnam Chunma (KOR) 6 4 1 1 13 6 13 Shandong Luneng (CHN) 6 4 1 1 12 8 13 Adelaide United (AUS) 6 2 2 2 9 6 8 Dong Tam Long An (VIE) 6 0 0 6 4 18 0

Group A

P W D L F A Pts Al Wahda (UAE) 6 4 1 1 13 6 13 Al Zawra'a (IRQ) 6 3 2 1 9 6 11 Al Arabi (KUW) 6 2 1 3 10 12 7 Al Rayyan (QAT) 6 0 2 4 3 11 2

[egypt man]

7/11/07 Knockout Stage Sepahan v Urawa Reds 14/11/07 Urawa Reds v Sepahan

Scoreboard 24/10/07 Knockout Stage Al Wahda 0 FT 0 Sepahan MATCH INDEX Urawa Reds 2 FT 2 Seongnam Chunma (AET, Pen 5:3) MATCH INDEX 3/10/07 Sepahan 3 FT 1 Al Wahda MATCH INDEX Seongnam Chunma 2 FT 2 Urawa Reds MATCH INDEX

[egypt man]

TOKYO – Urawa Reds will go into the first leg of the AFC Champions League final against Sepahan in Isfahan next week without captain Nobuhisa Yamada and defensive lynch-pin Marcus Tulio Tanaka.
Yamada suffered a torn muscle in his right calf during Reds’ semi-final second leg win over Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma last week and further aggravated the injury during his side’s J.League clash with Nagoya Grampus Eight on Sunday. As a result, Yamada will be out of action for up to four weeks.
Tulio, meanwhile, has returned to light training after suffering a thigh strain against Seongnam, an injury which saw him substituted during extra-time in the victory over the Koreans.
The Brazil-born Japan international is unlikely to travel to Iran for the first leg but may be available for the second leg at Saitama Stadium on November 14.

[Brasil]

Asian football title in balance after pulsating draw


Written by: AFP

Japan´s Orawa Reds player Ponte Robson (C) vies for the ball with Iran´s Sepahan Ehsan players Haji Safi (L) and Abdul Wahab Abolheil (R) during the first leg of the AFC Champions League football final in the Iranian city of Isfahan, 450 kms south of Tehran. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. ISFAHAN, Iran (AFP) - Iran's Sepahan and Urawa Reds of Japan fought to a 1-1 draw in a pulsating AFC Champions League final first leg on Wednesday. Robson Ponte's memorable strike capped a dominant first half from the Japanese champions before Sepahan turned the tables in the second period, scoring within moments of the restart through Mahmoud Karimi. Urawa coach Holger Osieck described the draw, which sets up an enticing decider for the Asian title in a week's time, as "disappointing" and criticised the bumpy Iranian pitch. "This is an away game. Our goal is to get a good result at home next week. We were able to do what we had to do here," he said. "Probably spectators think 'how did that happen?' but the ground conditions were not good at all and the ball often flew too far. It was disappointing." Sepahan coach Luka Bonacic said: "We were stronger on the field. Though in the last 20 minutes of the game we were not able to keep the team unity together. "In today's match I found out more about Urawa. We have another 90 minutes in the next game. I am still hopeful." In front of a livewire crowd, Urawa made light of the absences of injured captain Nobuhisa Yamada and defensive lynch-pin Marcus Tulio Tanaka as they soaked up early pressure from the home team. And the favourites were soon into their stride as busy striker Yuchiro Nagai, fed by left winger Tadaaki Hirakawa, allowed an easy headed chance to bounce off his shoulder and wide of the goal. Nagai drilled a shot left and curled another against the post, 'keeper Abbah Mohammadi beaten, as the visitors turned the screw. Urawa were on top but Ponte's opener on the stroke of half-time came from nowhere as the Brazilian playmaker cued up from 25 yards and bent it in off the post, sparking wild celebrations from the travelling fans. But Sepahan, the tournament's surprise package after a giant-killing run to the final, came out firing after half-time and were back on terms in a matter of seconds. Karimi, Sepahan's top scorer in the Iranian league, picked up a loose ball in the box and fired his angled shot against the post before picking up the rebound and slamming it home. The goal turned the game on its head and Urawa were suddenly backpedalling furiously with Moharram Navidkia producing a superb reaction save from goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki. Emad Mohammed hit the side-netting from close range and half-time substitute Mohsen Hamidi poked a shot within inches, as Urawa were restricted to half-chances at the other end. "As I said, our goal is to win the next game at home. Fortunately, we didn't lose to give them a lead. Hopefully, we can win the next game," Osieck said. Both teams are the first from their countries to reach the final of Asia's premier club competition, now in its fifth year. South Korea's Jeonbuk Motors broke a Middle Eastern stranglehold on the event with their victory last year. The winner earns the bonus of a place in the year-ending Club World Cup in Japan, where they will face other continental champions including AC Milan.

[scotttttttttttttt]

14/11/07 Urawa Reds Sepahan 2 - 0 (HT: 1 - 0) Yuki Abe 71

Red crowned Asian champions Nov 14, 2007 PA Sport SAITAMA – Urawa Reds became the first Japanese side to win the AFC Champions League with goals from Yuichiro Nagai and Yuki Abe earning the J.League champions a 2-0 win over Sepahan at Saitama Stadium on Wednesday evening as they completed a 3-1 aggregate victory.>> > > Nagai gave lace w:st="on">Urawalace> the lead in the 22nd minute in front of more than 59,000 fans before Abe doubled his side’s advantage on the night with a header from close range 19 minutes from time, wrapping up what was a comfortable win for Holger Osieck’s side.>> > > Reds had gone into the game with the slimmest of advantages from the first leg after a 1-1 draw in lace w:st="on">Esfahanlace> which gave the Japanese a valuable away goal ahead of the home tie.>> > > Urawa’s hopes were further boosted by the return of inspirational defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka, who missed the first leg due to injury, while Mahmoud Karimi, scorer of the equaliser for Sepahan in lace w:st="on">Iranlace> last week, was left on the bench alongside defender Jalal Akbari for the visitors.>> > > Sepahan goalkeeper Abbas Mohammadi was called into action as early as the eighth minute when he reacted superbly to push Tulio’s header to safety after Robson Ponte’s perfectly weighted free kick into the penalty area.>> > > However, 14 minutes later the Iranian goalkeeper was picking the ball out of the net. >> Another ball forward by Ponte – this time from open play – was sent in the direction of Nagai and, after a miskick by Jaba Mujiri, the Reds striker lashed the ball beyond Mohammadi’s despairing grasp and into the top corner.>> > > As a result of the goal, the decibel level in the stadium moved up several notches but, despite going a goal behind, Sepahan remained composed.>> > > Within five minutes of Nagai’s strike, the Iranians were pushing forward, looking for a goal of their own. Former Iraqi international Abdul Wahab Abolheil let fly with his attempt from long range, only to see the ball go beyond Ryota Tsuzuki’s right post.>> > > Sepahan, though, struggled to break down the Reds defence and, as a result, coach Luka Bonacic introduced Karimi for Emad Ridha with 15 minutes remaining in the first half as he sought a way through.>> > > But it was at the other end that the next goal looked more likely to be scored. Nagai’s 39th-minute pass released Ponte only for the Brazilian to fail to pull the trigger in time.>> > > Two minutes later lace w:st="on">Washingtonlace> tried his luck with an outrageous attempted lob from just inside the Sepahan half, only for the ball to clip the top of Mohammadi’s crossbar.>> > > With seconds remaining in the half, Sepahan had a rare glimpse of goal when a mix up between Tulio and Tsuzuki presented Karimi with the opportunity to level the scores, but his weak shot was hacked to safety as Tulio atoned for his earlier error.>> > > Sepahan made another change at the start of the second half, with Mohsen Hamidi making way for Hossein Papi. >> > > And less than six minutes after the restart, Moharram Navidkia had the Reds fans flustered for a split second when he came close to ending a flowing move with a flourish, but his shot was narrowly wide of Tsuzuki’s goal.>> > > Just 60 seconds later Reds should have wrapped the game up when lace w:st="on">Washingtonlace> cut inside the Sepahan defence, only for the Brazilian to delay taking his shot. When it eventually came, Mohammadi was equal to the task.>> > > Mohammadi again denied lace w:st="on">Washingtonlace> in the 61st minute when he pulled off a point-blank block of the 32-year-old’s volley.>> > > But there was little he could do in the 71st minute as Reds killed off the game. lace w:st="on">Washingtonlace>’s lay-off inside the area found Nagai and, while Mohammadi blocked his goal-bound effort, Abe pounced to head home the rebound as it ballooned into the air.>> > > From there, Reds ran down the clock – although Sepahan did find the back of the net with Karimi in an offside position - before claiming a deserved first Asian title for the club.>> > > As Asian champions, Urawa will go directly into the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup, to be played in lace w:st="on">Japanlace> next month.>> > > Sepahan have also earned a berth in the tournament but they must first play Oceania club champions Waitakere United of lace w:st="on">New Zealandlace> in a play-off to qualify for the knock-out stages.