Esteghlal Tehran (Taj) vs Al Sadd (Feb 7) vs Battle of the Coaches Alireza Mansourian: Resume - Iran u-23, Naft Tehran, offer from Brighton Albion Jesualdo Ferreira: Resume - Portugal u-21, Benfica, Braga, Porto, Malaga, Sporting CP, Panathinaikos,...
life result: Gamba Osaka 2 - 0 Johor Darul Ta'zim (HT) http://www.the-afc.com/afc-champion...rt/competition/774/season/2017/matchid/902838 Ulsan Hyundai 0 - 0 Kitchee SC (min 16) http://www.the-afc.com/afc-champion...rt/competition/774/season/2017/matchid/899887
I feel so sorry for Kitchee. And even worse thing than losing to seeded team this way is the fact that their continental campaign is over.
Esteghlal goes through by winning PK shootout. The better team won to be fair it was all Esteghlal. Xavi and Pouraliganji miss ACL for the 2nd consecutive year lol. Rahmati is still at his age Iran's best gk
What an entertaining game from both sides! Over the course of the 120 minutes, Esteghlal deserved the win.
Bad day for Qatar and penalties with both Al Sadd and Al Jaish going out in similar fashion. Was interesting seeing Rashidov miss a penalty for Al Sadd against his former club Bunyodkor.
So far the results are: Al Wahda 3-0 Al Wehdat Al Fateh 1-0 Nasaf Qarshi Esteghlal 0-0 (4-3) Al Sadd El Jaish 0-0 (1-3) Bunyodkor Ulsan Hyundai 0-0 (4-3) Kitchee Gamba Osaka 3-0 Darul Tazim Shanghai SIPG 3-0 Sukhothai Two teams losses: Qatar One team loss: Jordan, Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand
Agony for Kitchee - Ulsan penalty drama shatters Asia dream Kitchee's brave quest for an Asian Champions League group stage place ended in heartbreaking manner, as they lost 4-3 on penalties to former winners Ulsan Hyundai after their playoff finished 1-1 after extra time last night. Goalkeeper Kim Yong Dae saved from Fernando to secure victory for the hosts after Kim In Sung slotted home the decisive penalty. While Ulsan barely dodged the bullet, Chinese Super League powerhouse Shanghai SIPG - led by Brazilian star Oscar - and Japan's Gamba Osaka advanced with comfortable home wins. Alex Akande, Kitchee's first penalty taker, fired over the bar but Lee Ki Jie's attempt was saved by Wang Zhenpeng to give the Hong Kong side hope. Sandro, Kristian Vadocz and Helio Goncalvez all converted their spot- kicks for Kitchee, while Ulsan's Lee Yeong Jae, Lee Jong Ho and Ivan Kovacec were spot-on. Ulsan captain Kim Sung Hwan fired the hosts in front in first-half injury time but Kitchee defender Kim Bong Jin headed home the equalizer just a minute later. The result left Hong Kong Premier League champions Eastern as the only SAR representative in the group stage of Asia's premier club competition. But Eastern face a tough task after being drawn with Chinese giants Guangzhou Evergrande, Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Kawasaki Frontale in Group G. Ulsan will take their place in Group E, alongside Japan's Kashima Antlers, Muangthong United of Thailand and the winner of tonight's playoff between Shanghai Shenhua and Brisbane Roar.
It is a huge shame the way Kitchee lost the match. I would not have felt so gutted if they had lost by 3-0. I just wish the club will bounce back from this and win the league this season, so they can proceed directly to the group stages in 2018.
Entertaining match between Al Sadd and Esteghlal. Good for ACL attendance (Azadi) - bad for star power (Xavi). Planning on attending the Al Ahli - Esteghlal match in Dubai later this month.
meh, can't say I will attend any first round games here in Qatar with Sadd and Jaish out and no Uzbek teams coming here. Al Rayyan stadium is a pain in the ass to get to, and Lekhwiya v Esteghlal Khuzestan occurs on my vacation, so not much likeliness of attending that one either as none of Qatar's opponents really have any players big enough to draw me to a match just for that. Probably just wait until the knockout stages for that matter.
Group F is the toughest group at this stage: FC Seoul Urawa Red Diamonds Western Sydney Wanderers Shanghai SIPG
Who says there will be knockout stages? Lekhwiya - Al Jazira could be interesting. Jazira now have Leonardo, the player who handed the 2016 ACL to Jeonbuk Motors (and ruined Al Ain's dream). In other news, 2017 ACL star power takes another hit as Shanghai Shenhua goes out to Brisbane. No Carlos Tevez, Fredy Guarin or Obafemi Martins.
It's nonsense how Poyet couldn't find place for former Internazionale captain Fredy Guarin in ACL squad
There is a foreigner limit of 3+1 in AFC competitions. The plus one representing an Asian player. So the three were Carlos Tevez, Obafemi Martins and Giovanni Moreno. But to those who know, do the players chosen in the qualifiers carry over to the group stage? Could Guarin have taken someone else's place there? (Is Guarin in good form right now? No injury?)
Honestly, don't know too much about current form of Guarin, but Martins was useless today. I guess qualified teams to the group stage are able to make changes in their squad