AFC Women's Champions League 2024/25

Melbourne scored 4 goals in the first 10 minutes, then another one, way later, before HT, but they basically seemed uninterested to score more.

At some point, on 3-0, Taiwenese players seemed eager to get back to playing after their goal, as if they were worried with goal difference, but, if I am not wrong, the only way to have a third-place team at 3 points in group B would have been if Kaya FC Iloilo had somehow managed to get a draw vs Melbourne, and in that case their goal difference would have anyway stayed at 0. Ok, in theory the Philippines' team could have even won, and in that case Taichung would have needed a better goal difference than Wuhan Jiangda, but was it really a believable option?

Urawa looked always in control, despite the low score. They were the only team who took no goal in this group stage (goal difference +21). Who can beat them?

Bam Kathoon scored at 90'+3'! What an achievement. (Although, in the case of a draw, they were anyway going to have a better goal-difference than both their rivals, so I suppose they were safe at 2nd place anyway). This group B looked like the weakest one.

College of Asian Scholars finally managed to score a goal. So no "Compsognathus-prize" for them, although they're sure no T-Rex either.

For a moment, it seemed that we weren't going to see the highlights of this game, since Melbourne's ones had been uploaded twice, then they finally surfaced.

All teams at this group stage have scored at least one goal. Only Odisha didn't manage to get a single point and finished at 0.

Does anyone know at which moment, between here and March, the draw will take place?

 

Also, Taichung Blue Whale can't be drawn vs. Urawa Reds, I suppose.

 

I've forgotten to watch the draw live.


I can anyway give you the final result of it.

This is the shape of the quarter-finals:

- Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC (KOR) v Bam Khatoon FC (IRN)

- Melbourne City FC (AUS) v Taichung Blue Whale Women’s Football Team (TPE)

- Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (JPN) v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC (CHN)

- Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC (VIE) v Abu Dhabi Country Club (UAE)


I'd say Urawa somehow got the short end of the stick: they looked like the strongest team after group stage, but they were paired with probably the most competitive of the non-seeded teams, the Chinese one. Wuhan Jiangda sure didn't impressed at group stage, so it shouldn't anyway be too difficult a task for Urawa to beat them, but it's a fact that it isn't likely to be a cakewalk as it would have probably been vs any of the other teams.

The most likely upset vs a seeded team could be Abu Dhabi Country club (who impressed at group stage and did way better then Wuhan Jiangda, also beating them in the process) vs Ho Chi Minh, since the Vietnam's champions were only second in a group that included Urawa but was otherwise quite weak: I could easy see them lose to Abu Dhabi. It will anyway probably be closer that Red Angels vs Bam Kathoon or Melbourne City vs Taichung Blue Whale (that I expect to be both routs).

 

Curious about the game between Abu Dhabi and Ho Chi Minh. Abu Dhabi got some noteworthy results, but also struggle against Sabah FA who played a good chunk of the game down to 10 players. Outside of the usual big 4 nations, Ho Chi Minh is a decent team. It should be a pretty even game on paper.

Not the easiest draw for Urawa, but facing Wuhan now with the game being played in Saitama might be better than in a neutral venue.

The other two games don't seem as interesting in theory.

 

The first quarter-final is currently on-going. Both teams had a couple of good chances, with Bam Khatoon hitting the post. Entertaining game so far, with plenty of spaces.

Where to watch depending on your country: https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_womens_champions_league/where_to_watch.html

 

Outside of their early chances, Bam Khatoon failed to be create any decent counter attack. Incheon created a lot, but failed to score. Kinda disappointing from them, their front line from last season felt more dangerous.

 

Incheon dominant as expected in midfield, but quite lackluster in the final third/in the box. Against Melbourne City (if they get the job done, obviously), they'll need to be clinical, because they probably won't get as many opportunities.

Ho Chi Minh City FC vs Abu Dhabi CC, not the biggest game of these QF, but probably the closest on paper, has started.

 

Sure, the teams weaknesses are responsible for this scoreline, but what a game and what a scenario. Ho Chi Minh currently leading 5-4 as we enter added time with +9 min to play.

 

Although the whole match is available, I am waiting for the highlights to be uploaded to get an idea of the game (meanwhile, I already watched the Hyunday Steel Angels vs Bam Kathoon ones), but I read that Ho Chi Minh City, after having been behind by 0-3 at HT and by 2-4 in the middle of the 2nd Half, won at 90' through an own goal by an Abu Dhabi's player who had been ust subbed-in 4 minutes before!

What a crazy match it must have been!

 

Scores of the semifinals (including links to the highlights):

Wuhan Jiangda 2-0 Ho Chi Min City
(34' Wang Shuang, 54' Song Duan)

Hyundai Steel Red Angels 0-1 Melbourne City
(90'+4' Shelby McMahon)


The final, Melbourne City vs Wuhan Jiangda, in scheduled for the 24th of May (two days from now).

 

0-0 so far, as we are at 75' already. I've only watched some sparse minutes from time to time, but the level looks quite poor to me.

 

Ok, one minute after I speak, Melbourne City scores from a FK action!

It was an header by Shelby McMahon, who scored again after having decided the semifinal three days ago. Chinese GK looks very tall (how much tall is she?), but she's not as much fast or dynamic (although this header was so powerful and accurate that probably she could have done nothing anyway: the goal is mainly on the DFs, who allowed Melbourne's striker to head the ball quite undisturbed).

 

Wuhan Jangda showed some more urgency in the last 10 minutes, but it looked like it was too little too late. Then, during the 8 minutes of additional time, anything happened: there were two VAR situations, both (I guess correctly) against Melbourne: the first was a disallowed goal to Bryleeh Henry for a foul in the midfield that had started the action; the second was a PK for a quite clear handball by Mariana Speckmaier. Chinese star Wang Shuang took the PK at 90'+8' and converted it by totally wrong-footing GK Malena Mieres.

So we're now going to extra-time. The game has become thrilling all of a sudden, actually, after 75' minutes of almost complete boredom.

 

By this point of view, I find quite odd that they took out Kenyan striker Terry Engesha in the last minutes of the regular time, since it looked like she was the most suited FW for such a game-style; but she had probably been too much poor today (or was gassed).

 

On the other hand, if Melbourne City win... the Asian Champions' League goes to a team who's actually from another continent!

 

Actually, the 0-0 draw vs Urawa was in the quarter-finals, not in the semifinals. They met Ho Chi Min City in their semifinal: arguably a cakewalk pairing, but they anyway won that match by 2-0.

So, if they'd get the trophy today through a draw, it would actually be 2 wins out of 6 matches and not just 1 win out of 5 matches.

 

Melbourne City could be trying harder, but I keep thinking the technical level looks not stellar by both teams...