2014 AFC Cup

Ravshan Kulob (TKJ) 2-1 Al Yarmouk (YEM)

Ravshan Kulob (TKJ) to Group A

 

Shabab Al Dhaheriya (Ple) - Alay Osh (Kgz) 1-1 (7-8 on penalties)

 

Ravshan - Yarmouk match was played in snow with temperature at -7

How on earth can the AFC expect a fair and honest competition? It appears more about luck, the one legged home tie.

Yarmouk are out playing in conditions they would never of experienced and probably never will again (unless they make an away legged playoff again!!).

 

Does anyone know why Arbil are scheduled to play their first group stage at home but then the other two games they appear to be playing in Doha?

 

I have no idea. It's ridiculous to ban Erbil from playing home games. Even Baghdad is safe enough to host games, let alone the safe northern region.

They have to lift the ban asap.

 

Abdul-Khaleq Massoud (member of the Iraqi FA) has confirmed to Al-Baghdadia that Salman Al-Khalifa (President of The Asian Football Confederation) will remove the ban from the Iraqi clubs (Arbil and Al-Shorta) to host their international matches at home ground.

They heard me

 

The 1st game is at home according to the AFC, that's why it makes me wonder as to the other games, the can't be banned!

 

It's ridiculous that Iraq has a home ban in the first place. The league is going on in the country for many years and nothing happened. They are playing in Baghdad, Basra, Erbil you name it and it's safe and the atmosphere is good.

Iraq is safe enough to host games, especially the northern (Kurdistan) region.

 

Persipura Jayapura (Indonesia) 2-0 Churchill Brothers (India)

 

T & T Hanoi (Vietnam ) 5-1 Maziya (Maldives)

New Radiant (Maldives) 1-0 Home United (Singapore)

 

Maziya completely capitulated in the last 15 minutes in Vietnam, conceding 4 goals. The New Radiant - Home United clash was a match of two highly dubious penalties from which the home side scored and the Singaporeans had theirs saved. Unfortunately, Home United had their keeper sent off after conceding the penalty, for which the Maldivian player clearly dived. Never nice to see a match get decided like that...

 

Selangor FA (Malaysia ) 1-1 Arema (Indonesia)
Al Suwaiq (Oman) 3-1 Ravshan Kulob (Tajikistan)
Safa Sc Beirut (Lebanon ) 1-0 That Ras (Jordan)
Kuwait Sc 2-1 Nejmeh Beirut

 

South China Morning Post

South China seek convincing start in regional cup tie

Chan Kin-wa

South China need to set aside their disappointing domestic run as they kick off their AFC Cup campaign against Vissai Ninh Binh of Vietnam at Hong Kong Stadium on Wednesday night.

After being held to a 2-2 draw by Sun Pegasus in the league at the weekend, the Hong Kong champions need a convincing start in the regional cup tie to lift their morale.

"It was a blow conceding a last-minute equaliser to Pegasus, but the boys are professionals and should know how to deal with a situation like this," said coach Yeung Ching-kwong. "There has been no shortage of determination in training and the players are all keen to make up for the losses. I am pretty sure they will put on a good show."

Despite taking up the head coach role only last week, Yeung has plenty of experience in handling overseas teams.

"I was the assistant coach with Pegasus when they featured in the same regional cup tie and was among the backroom staff for the Hong Kong team in multi-sport events such the Asian Games and East Asian Games," said Yeung.

"The pace of matches against overseas teams is much faster and we must raise our game."

Yeung said they had already studied video footage of the visitors and view Vissai Ninh Binh as "a typical Vietnamese club". "Their local players are fast with good individual skills, while their strike force is fronted by two foreign players who are both strong and powerful," said Yeung. "We have already set in place specific tactics to tackle them."

The Caroliners have dropped two expatriates for the competition after failing to advance in the Asian Champions League (ACL) qualifying play-offs. While they have kept faith with strikers Andrew Barisic and Sasa Kajkut, midfielder Carlos Bertoldi and centre half Ko Kyung-joon have been replaced by Sean Tse Ka-keung and Joao Pereira. "Pereira can perform a more attacking role in midfield, while Sean is comfortable as a midfielder or stopper, giving us more options in defence," said Yeung.

Meanwhile, Kitchee kick off their campaign in group H against home side Tampines Rovers of Singapore. The Southeast Asia team were beaten by visitors South China 2-1 in the ACL qualifying play-offs earlier this month.

 

FC Alay Osh (Kyrgyzstan) 0-0 Riffa Club (Bahrain)

 

Yangon United (Myanmar) 5-3 Kelantan FC (Malaysia)

 

Tampines Rovers (Singapore) 0-5 Kitchee SC (Hong Kong)
South China AA (Hong Kong) 1-3 Vissai Ninh Binh (Vietnam)

 

Al Shorta 0-0 Al Qadsiya FT

 

Shabab al Ordon 1-3 Erbil FT

 

South China Morning Post

South China suffer humiliating loss in opening regional cup tie
Vietnamese side dominated in the first half, but came under pressure after the break

Chan Kin-wa

Local champions South China suffered a humiliating 3-1 defeat at the hands of Vietnamese side Vissai Ninh Binh in an AFC Cup group match on Wednesday night.

It was a big setback for the Caroliners, kicking off their campaign at Hong Kong Stadium before a small crowd of just 2,100.

In contrast, Kitchee scored an impressive 5-0 away win over Tampines Rovers in their group H match in Singapore.

In the Hong Kong clash, two goals in the first half of the group G match, and then another in the opening minutes of the second period gave the Vietnamese side a commanding lead.

Although South China worked hard to pull one back through a header from Chan Siu-ki - his first goal after returning from the China league this season, it was not enough to prevent a disastrous result in their regional cup tie.

Captain Chan Wai-ho said a lapse of concentration in their defence cost them dearly.

"Playing in the regional competition is much more demanding, allowing you little room for making the kind of mistakes we sometimes make on the domestic front," said the Hong Kong international.

"We had an improved second half and came close on a number of occasions, but the deficit was too big.

"But this is not the end of the world, even if we failed to play our best in the opening match. There is still a long way to go and if we can get points in the following two away games, we still have a chance."

Strikers Chan and Andrew Barisic both had clear-cut chances to close the gap, but neither could take advantage amid good defending from Vissai Ninh Binh.

The visiting coach said they were a little lucky to walk away with a comfortable win.

"Our players followed a game plan very well and played a good game," said Nguyen Van Sy. "I agree we were under great pressure in the second half, but in the end it's the result that matters.

The visitors were dangerous on the break in the first half and South China coach Yeung Ching-kwong admitted they gave them too much space for several counterattacks.

"The first period was not ideal," said Yeung. "We had to go for a win at home with a lot of overlapping, but our defenders were not quick enough to cover each other.

"Also, they have some quality expatriates that made our lives very difficult."

 

What is going on with the Singaporean clubs? I remember asking the same question last year.

 

Utterly rubbish aren't they!

Would expect much better from Tampines really

 

I-League champions Churchill brothers are set to host New Radiant SC in a South Asian derby. Unfortunately the Indian club's actions have already hit a sour note. They refused to take responsibility of handling the visiting teams visa applications at the last minute, meaning Ghanaian centre-back Jonathan Quartey, who is New Radiant's best defender by a country mile will be unable to travel. The players and coaching staff have also been kept apart in different hotels, as opposed to the hotel requested by the club. One of these hotels housed the Maldives team in the 1999 SAFF Championship and according to New Radiant's interim manager, who played in that tournament, the conditions have regressed terribly since then. The players are keeping themselves out of their rooms because of a mysterious odour.

Ah well. More incentive to beat them in their own backyard.

 

Arema 1-3 T & T Hanoi
Maziya 1-1 Selangor FA

 

Home United 1-1 Persipura Jayapura
Churchill Brothers 3-0 New Radiant