2015 AFC Cup

Discussion in 'AFC: Tournaments' started by jonny63, Dec 10, 2014.

  1. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    [​IMG]

    Kichee SC have arrived in Kuwait and the air temperature there is as high as 40 degrees C., but less humid. It won't be an easy game.
     
  2. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    #152 Angsa, Aug 25, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2015
    [​IMG]

    South China convener Wallace Cheung led Casemiro Mior and other members of the squad for a prayer session at Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple. He has prayed at all the temples that South China have traveled away to so far this year and South China have won every game in the competition. He hopes the trend will continue.

    Yeah, the guy is superstitious I know.

    Personally I think South China may benefit from Johor DT's recent busy schedule in the Malaysian Super League. The Johor players have got to be tired after playing on Wednesday and Saturday and then partying so hard. The South China players are fresh and there are no injury problems. I think South China might just snatch a 0-1 win to spoil the party.
     
  3. pak_sakoorgtloh

    Jul 2, 2013
    Club:
    Eintracht Frankfurt
    FT

    Darul Ta'zim 1-1 South China
    Al Qadsia 3-0 Jaish

    Pretty fair result I would say . JDT played 8 games in one month. Really tight schedule for the Malaysian League.
     
  4. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    I think it is unlucky that South China did not come away with a win when Johor DT tired in the last 20 minutes of the match. The return on 15 Sep will actually be tougher for South China. Some of the local players are on national duty but the rest have no match to play and will not be easy to maintain match fitness.

    Anyway, this result means a full house of 6,500 in Mongkok Stadium is more or less guaranteed.
     
  5. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    [​IMG]

    South China Morning Post


    South China battle back to draw 1-1 with Johor Darul Ta’zim in AFC Cup quarter-final, first leg
    South China took the upper hand in their AFC Cup soccer quarter-final against Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim after earning a 1-1 draw in the first leg on Tuesday night in Johor Bahru.

    Nazvi Careem

    South China took the upper hand in their AFC Cup quarter-final against Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim after earning a 1-1 draw in the first leg on Tuesday night in Johor Bahru.

    The Hong Kong side overcame a passionate crowd of 14,700 and a determined host side - who are now unbeaten at home in 17 matches - and will be looking to secure their passage into the semi-finals when the two sides meet again on September 15 at Mong Kok Stadium..

    Awal Mahama was South China’s hero, scoring the equaliser 17 minutes after Argentine Luciano Figuerao had put the home side ahead from the penalty spot in the 47th minute.

    “I thought we were the better team and deserved the result,” said South China coach Casemiro Mior. “If you asked me before the match will I accept 1-1, I would say definitely.

    “I’m very proud of my players. We respect Johor but we never played for a draw. We wanted to win.”

    Goalscorer Mahama admitted the players were slightly nervous playing in front of 14,700 people, something they don’t often do in Hong Kong.

    “We were a bit nervous but I think we handled it well. We’ve played in big crowds before and we showed what we can do,” he said.

    JDT coach Mario Gomez, the former South China coach, said the players tired towards the end of the match.

    “We have played eight games in 25 days and after 70 minutes the players were tired. And that is the truth,” he said.

    “I know South China will chase everything and it was difficult for us when we were physically not so good.

    “Now it’s a case of resting and working for the return leg. We must do some work and I think we can win in Hong Kong.”

    JDT’s Ultras supporters created an intimidating atmosphere for the visitors, with their incessant pounding of drums and chanting of state and team anthems.

    South China, though, did not appear overawed. The Hong Kong side rarely ventured into the opposition’s third but had the better of the opening exchanges, with defender Bojan Malisic seeing his scissor kick in the third minute brilliantly saved by JDT goalkeeper Izham Tarmizi.

    South China captain Chan Wai-ho superbly marshalled the defence with the ever-reliable Jack Sealy and dominant Bojan Malisic but they gave away a needless amount of free kicks within scoring distance in the middle of the half.

    JDT, though, failed to convert and the closest they came to scoring in the first half was in the 27th minute when they almost pounced on South China goalkeeper Cristian Mora’s fumble.

    Just before half-time, a JDT free kick from the left whistled across Mora’s goal.

    Johor came out firing in the second half and Luciano finally coming alive, having a shot blocked by the South China defence. Only two minutes into the half, JDT won a penalty after a handball by Moses Mensah.

    Luciano sent the crowd into raptures by sending Mora the wrong way. JDT were on the ascendency and it looked to be an uphill task for South China.

    However, the Hong Kong team maintained their composure and equalised in the 64th minute. Chan Wai-ho played a cross-field ball to the left to the team’s best attacking player Mahama, who played a neat one-two with Chan Siu-ki before slotting past Tarmizi.

    South China almost took the led on 75 minutes but Boima Karpeh, meant to be the team’s goalscorer after Daniel McBreen left, missed from close range.

    Two minutes later, Luciano shot straight at Mora after a sweeping JDT move.

    JDT threw everything in the last few minutes and some desperate defending from South China allowed the Hong Kong to come away with a deserved draw and confident of closing the tie out in three weeks’ time.

    Meanwhile, Hong Kong champions Kitchee will take on Al Kuwait, the three-time winners who beat South China in the 2009 AFC Cup semi-finals, in the quarter-finals of the competition in the Middle East on Wednesday night.
     
  6. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    The Star

    JDT fail to take full points in AFC Cup match at home

    BY MOHD FARHAAN SHAH

    [​IMG]
    JDT striker Luciano Figueroa can't find a way through the South China defence in the AFC Cup quarter-final first leg match in Larkin on Tuesday. The match ended 1-1. - BERNAMA

    JOHOR BARU: Newly crowned Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) failed to make full use of home ground advantage when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Hong Kong’s South China in the first-leg of the AFC Cup quarter-finals at the Larkin Stadium on Tuesday.

    Argentine Luciano Figueroa put the Southern Tigers ahead from the spot kick in the 47th minute before midfielder Awal Mahama scored the equaliser in the 63rd minute.

    The home side were under tremendous pressure from the kick-off and could have been behind as early as the third minute when Bojan Malisic’s overhead kick was denied by an alert JDT goalkeeper Mohd Izham Tarmizi.

    JDT’s best chance came in the closing minutes of the first-half but defender Mohd Fadhli Shas shot wide.

    A miffed JDT head coach Mario Gomez made two changes after the break. He brought speedy winger S. Chanturu and striker Safee Sali to replace Mahali Jasuli and Mohd Nazrin Nawi.

    And just two minutes after the double substitutions, JDT was awarded a penalty when South China defender Moses Mensah handled the ball. Figueroa made no mistake from the spot.

    JDT were living dangerously holding on to the slim lead and paid the price when Mahama scored the important away goal.

    The home side’s best chance to seal the game was in the 77th minute but Figueroa’s snap shot went straight into the arms of South China’s Ecuadorian goalkeeper Cristian Mora.

    JDT will travel for the return-leg match in Hong Kong on Sept 15.
     
  7. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    I guess Kuwait SC will beat Kitchee by 2 goals. Hong Kong clubs are no match for Middle Eastern clubs, sad but true.
     
  8. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    [​IMG]

    A group of six South China players went to Legoland Malaysia today for some relaxation after last night's hard earned 1-1 draw.
     
  9. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Wednesday results:
    Kuwait SC 6-0 Kitchee SC
    FC Istiklol 4-0 Pahang FA

    Kitchee surely no match for Kuwait, but 6-0 is embarassing. Their new coach Abraham Aliaga clearly needs to get to know his team better.
     
  10. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    South China Morning Post

    Kitchee hit for six in AFC Cup - Hong Kong champions thrashed by Kuwait SC
    Kuwaitis take strong grip on their quarter-final with a 6-0 first-leg victory

    Hong Kong champions Kitchee have all but kissed their contintinental hopes goodbye after a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Kuwait SC in the first leg of their AFC Cup quarter-final clash in Kuwait City.

    One day after rivals South China drew 1-1 away to Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim, Kitchee failed to make any impact away from home against the three-time Kuwaiti champions.

    Rogerinho scored twice while Fahad Al Enezi, Chadi Hammami, Vinicius Lopes and Ali Al Kandari were also on target as the home side notched up a comfortable margin of victory ahead of the second leg in Hong Kong on September 16.

    “I want to congratulate our opponents for their big win as they put on a good performance and deserved to win,” said Kitchee coach Abraham Aliaga. “The hot weather and the humidity in Kuwait affected our players who failed to put in their usual performance.”

    “We tried to put our mark on the match and create some scoring chances but the mistakes the players made affected us. The defeat is tough for us, but we will try our best to learn from the mistakes that we made tonight.”

    Kuwait SC coach Mohammad Ebrahim felt his team’s first-half performance was instrumental in the victory.

    “I’m extremely happy we recorded such a big win,” said Ebrahim. “It was a great achievement for us because we won against a team that has several good players and they are one of the better teams in the competition.

    “We managed to seal the win in the first half by scoring three time and this allowed us to increase the pressure on Kitchee in the second half. The win will give us a big boost and hopefully we can continue our impressive performance in the second leg.”

    Kuwait SC – winners of the AFC Cup in 2009, 2012 and 2013 – were in imperious form and signalled their desire to reclaim the title won by compatriots Qadsia SC last season.

    The Kuwaitis wasted little time making their intentions clear with Husain Al Shammari forcing Kitchee goalkeeper Guo Jianqiao into a fine save after just six minutes with a well-struck free kick from range.

    Gao’s heroics, though, were soon forgotten when, just six minutes later, the keeper misread Fahad Shaheen’s long punt forward, missing the ball to allow Rogerinho to stroll in and knock the ball into an unguarded net.

    Kitchee’s Juan Belencoso almost provided the perfect repost seconds later at the other end, only for Musan Al Kandari to prove equal to the task by pushing the ball clear for a corner.

    By the 21st minute Kuwait SC had doubled their lead when Abdullah Al Buraiki’s perfect pass curled behind the Kitchee defence and into the path of Al Enezi, who made no mistake with his low shot.

    Belencoso again went close just before halftime when he headed over the bar, but deep into first-half stoppage time the Kuwaitis claimed their third when Al Buraiki’s cross from the left was pushed over the line by Hammami via a deflection off the visiting defence.

    Seven minutes after the restart the pain continued for Kitchee when Rogerinho claimed his second and his team’s fourth after Hammami and Al Buraiki linked up before providing the Brazilian with the opportunity to score.

    With eight minutes remaining a foul by Guo saw referee Crishantha Perera point to the spot and Vinicius struck, giving the goalkeeper no chance and virtually eliminating Kitchee’s hopes of a second straight semi-final appearance.

    And with the game in injury time Al Kandari completed the rout with a first-time finish from inside the penalty area that Guo could do little to stop.
     
  11. Yas-The-Gunner

    Aug 2, 2006
    London
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Iraq
    I wish Al Shorta defeat Kuwait in the round of 16, we dominated them completely and missed so many easy chances, and they scored from a penalty which was clearly not a foul. I was so sad because now we may not qualify for AFC Cup again while Kuwait continues and may win it again :( If only we were allowed to play in Iraq rather than Qatar, it would make such big difference :(
     
  12. AlleXyS

    AlleXyS Member

    Steaua Bucureşti
    Apr 22, 2014
    Bucharest
    Club:
    FC Steaua Bucuresti
    Nat'l Team:
    Romania
    AFC Cup = Kuweit
     
  13. persia1378

    persia1378 Member

    Oct 15, 2012
    Italy
    Club:
    Perspolis
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    Iran is supporting Istiklol :)
     
  14. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    [​IMG]

    On the first day of ticket sales, over 1,800 tickets have been sold for the South China vs Johor DT match scheduled for 15 Sep.
     
    AlleXyS repped this.
  15. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    [​IMG]

    Johor DT has arrived in Hong Kong. 4,000 tickets have already been sold for the match between South China and them. South China did not play at the weekend so the players are very fresh, captain Chan Wai-Ho is the only injured player for the home team.
     
  16. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    [​IMG]

    The whole South China team, led by Wallace Cheung, went to Wong Tai Sin Temple for worship and prayers. Yeah, Wallace Cheung is the superstitious sort.

    BTW, only about 1,000 tickets left unsold for the match. A full house can be expected.
     
  17. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    [​IMG]

    Pre-match press conference was held yesterday. Bojan shake hands with his former boss here.

    Only about 650 tickets left for sale, it is going to be a full house tonight.
     
  18. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    [​IMG]

    Kuwait SC have also arrived in Hong Kong and they trained at Mong Kok Stadium last night. 6 members of their team did not travel. Since they hold a 6-0 lead, I don't blame them for being complacent. I believe they will get another win here.
     
  19. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    South China Morning Post

    Support us to the hilt, South China coach Casemiro Mior tells fans ahead of AFC Cup quarter-final
    The Caroliners hope a capacity crowd will help see them through in their AFC Cup quarter-final on Tuesday night

    Chan Kin-wa

    South China coach Casemiro Mior called on fans to provide the "extra man" as the domestic heavyweights take on Johor Darul Tazim in a do-or-die AFC Cup quarter-final tie at Mong Kok Stadium tonight.

    Having drawn the away leg 1-1 last month, the Caroliners stand a good chance of making it to the last four, the first time since 2009. But the Brazilian coach said they would need to be at their best against the newly crowned Malaysia Super League champions.

    "We need support to help us get past the tough hurdle," said Mior. "It does not matter if you are a South China fan or fans of other clubs as long as you are a fan of Hong Kong soccer. Come and support us as we are representing Hong Kong.

    "Johor are a quality side and we must respect them. Even if we drew the first leg and have the home ground advantage, it is still a dangerous game as the result can go either way."

    Only 600 tickets remain and Mior is looking forward to a full-house at the 6,600-seat venue, cheering for his team like fans have for the Hong Kong representative team in their World Cup qualifiers.

    "We all witnessed the power of the fans when Hong Kong won their first two World Cup qualifying matches and the way they came back against Qatar [last Tuesday]. We are looking forward to a similar environment so our players can fully display their potential," said the coach.

    Headed by ex-South China coach Mario Gomez, Johor arrived on Sunday with the likes of former Argentina international Luciano Figueroa. He did not feature in their 2-0 win over Perak in the Malaysia Cup two days ago, apparently being saved for the Hong Kong game.

    Before training yesterday, Gomez refused to say if there would be any advantage in having coached the Hong Kong side before.

    "I know South China players, but every game is different," said Gomez.

    "I know captain Chan Wai-ho is injured and cannot play. It is not so good for them, but it's another game."

    South China will be missing captain Chan Wai-ho, a key player in their central defence. The Hong Kong team captain twisted his knee in the World Cup qualifiers against China and is likely to be sidelined for two months.


    The Standard

    South China eye cup semi-finals

    South China will face Johor Darul Tazim tonight at Mong Kok Stadium, hoping home field advantage can help secure the Caroliners a semi-final place in the AFC Cup.

    The quarter-final is level at 1-1 though South China have the advantage of having plundered an away goal in the first leg thanks to speedster Awal Mahama.

    However, South China are likely to go into the match without captain Chan Wai-ho, who suffered an injury recently.

    "It will be a tough game for us especially with Chan Wai-ho sidelined," said defender Bojan Malisic. "However, we need to focus on how we play and while Johor Darul Tazim might have some good players in their team, there is really no need to be afraid of them."
     
  20. AlleXyS

    AlleXyS Member

    Steaua Bucureşti
    Apr 22, 2014
    Bucharest
    Club:
    FC Steaua Bucuresti
    Nat'l Team:
    Romania
    a big day for South China history ... hope will play the semifinals and will kill the kuweiti giants there ;)
     
  21. mdhm

    mdhm Member

    Southern District FC
    Hong Kong
    Nov 7, 2010
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Hong Kong
    Don't except them too much. They even can't get a draw with Kuwaiti at home.

    The 2nd leg of QF will be regarded as their "Final" (of East Zone) in 2015 AFC Cup as the winner of either team 99.9999% will be eliminated in SF.
     
  22. AlleXyS

    AlleXyS Member

    Steaua Bucureşti
    Apr 22, 2014
    Bucharest
    Club:
    FC Steaua Bucuresti
    Nat'l Team:
    Romania
    South China or Johor will play against Al Qadsia. With Al Kuwait 99,99% in the final, seems that South China or Johor must beat both kuweiti clubs to win the title .... for me, this is impossible. Anyway, for East clubs will be a premier to play a final :D So, if they will pass Al Qadsia in semifinal, will be as a trophy.

    For 2016, hope will have more luck, and maybe kuweiti clubs will miss the knock-out round.

    Anyway, I hope Al Kuweit will qualify for ACL, there is his place
     
  23. mdhm

    mdhm Member

    Southern District FC
    Hong Kong
    Nov 7, 2010
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Hong Kong
    Istiklol FC should be the last hope to prevent the Kuwaiti Final again after AFC Cup 2013.
     
  24. AlleXyS

    AlleXyS Member

    Steaua Bucureşti
    Apr 22, 2014
    Bucharest
    Club:
    FC Steaua Bucuresti
    Nat'l Team:
    Romania
    I think Istiqlol have no chance there. Its enough a semifinal at first participation
     
  25. Angsa

    Angsa Member

    Aug 26, 2008
    Hong Kong
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    #175 Angsa, Sep 15, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2015
    [​IMG]

    South China Morning Post


    South China out of AFC Cup - home side lose 3-1 to Johor Darul Ta'zim
    Malaysian side play 54 minutes with 10 men but still win quarter-final tie 4-2 on aggregate

    Chan Kin-wa

    South China failed to make the most of home and numerical advantage, crashing out of the AFC Cup to 10-man Johor Darul Ta’zim, of Malaysia, at Mong Kok Stadium last night.

    JDT scored a resounding 3-1 victory after playing for 54 minutes without their Argentinian striker Luciano Figueroa, who was sent off for elbowing Cheung Chi-yung. The Malaysians won 4-2 on aggregate after the first leg in Johor Bahru finished 1-1.

    Two defensive blunders in the first half cost South China dearly.

    South China coach Casemiro Mior said all the hard work over the past two months were destroyed by two mistakes.

    "It was a disappointing performance,” said the coach. “We have prepared for the AFC Cup very hard for the last two months and played very well in the first leg in Johor, but everything changed tonight.

    “In football, you cannot make too many mistakes and this is the key point. Tonight they [mistakes] killed us.”

    The Brazilian apologised to the fans who came to support the team.

    “Sorry for the South China fans and for all Hong Kong fans who came to support us. It’s very disappointing because we lost the game,” he said.

    The tense match was watched by a full house crowd of 6,400, with a small but vocal section full of Johor fans. But the visitors were unaffected by the atmosphere, taking the initiative from the first minute knowing they needed to score to win the tie.

    The visitors piled on the pressure and took a deserved lead on 26 minutes when Leandro Velazquez directed the attention of South China defenders to the middle before sending Mahalli Jasuli free on the right. Mahalli’s left-foot shot beat goalkeeper Cristian Mora.

    There was relief in the South China camp as Mahama Awal levelled two minutes later. Bojan Malisic’s header following Chan Siu-ki’s corner kick was only deflected by the goalkeeper and Awal made no mistake from close range.

    But two defensive blunders ruined their hopes of reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2009.

    Soon after South China equalised, Mora could only parry a Figueroa cross from the left, leaving Safee Sali free to make it 2-1 from close range.

    With JDT already down to 10 men, South China fullback Jack Sealy attempted to head a long ball to safety but it went straight to Mora, who could only serve the ball to Safee Sali to make it 3-1.

    Knowing they had to score three goals to win the tie, South China threw everything into attack after the break, bringing in forward Lam Hok-hei and Liang Zicheng. But they could do little to break the stubborn defence of Johor. Chak Ting-fung hit the post with 10 minutes left before Malisic missed a face-saving penalty by sending the ball high over the bar later.

    Malisic, who missed the penalty, however remained upbeat. “Life did not stop with this game and life in football will carry on as we still have to play Kitchee in the Community Cup on Sunday,” said the captain. “Those who know football should know a one-man advantage does not make it easy.”

    Johor coach Mario Gomez said they had created history because it is the first time a Malaysian team have made it to the AFC Cup semi-finals.

    “It was a tense game as South China are a good side, but we showed our character,” said the former South China coach. “South China did not have too many chances when we were forced into defending in the second half. They only had a penalty but I did not even know if it was a real penalty.”

    Meanwhile, Kitchee are virtually certain to follow South China out of the AFC Cup at Mong Kok tonight. Coach Abraham Garcia admitted they faced an impossible task after their 6-0 loss to Kuwait SC in the first leg of their quarter-final.

    “We will fight to the end despite a big deficit and hopefully we can beat the opponents at home,” said the coach.
     

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