A late goal for Al Ittihad means they will enter the second leg in Korea with a comfortable 2 goal buffer after overcoming FC Seoul 3-1 in the first-leg of their 2011 AFC Champions League quarter-final.
The opening period was a little on the quite side until Naif Hazazi controlled a bouncing ball 20 yards out and then unleashed a volley that made Seoul keeper Kim Yong-dae earn his money.
Al Ittihad took the lead a just before the break when Kim Yong-dae could not get a strong enough hand on Hazazi’s …

Ten man Sepahan secured a narrow win in the quarter-finals of the 2011 AFC Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Al Sadd.
The hosts were immediately on top when in the 3rd minute Hashem Beikzadeh cut into the box before firing narrowly over.
Sepahan took the lead in the 12th minute when Al Sadd half-cleared a corner and Ibrahimi’s low strike made its way through a crowded penalty area and into the bottom corner of the net.
Ahmad Jamshidian beat the offside trap in the 34th minute but his volleyed over from …

A sea-sawing match saw Jeonbuk take the lead three times through Lee Dong-gook’s double and a goal from Cho Sung-hwan.
But Cerezo were equal to the task each time hitting back with goals from Ryuji Bando, Kiyotake and Kim Bo-kyung’s penalty before Kiyotake netted the winner nine minutes from the end.
Cerezo was the more aggressive from the outset and within minutes of the start Bando directed a Shu Kurata cross wide.
Jeonbuk however took the lead in the sixth minute. Forward Lee collected Luiz Henrique’s pass, cut in to the box and …

Park Hyun-beom’s equaliser managed a 1-1 draw for Suwon Bluewings in their 2011 AFC Champions League quarter-final match with Zob Ahan.
Suwon controlled the early minutes and this resulted in the first real chance of the game after eight minutes when Stevica Ristikj, headed a Hong Soon-hak cross from the right side just wide.
A few minutes later, Igor Castro was freed on the left side of the area by Hugo Machado and goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong had to get down quickly at his near post to turn the Brazilian’s low shot away …

This week we look at the 4th quarter final between Korean power house in Samsung Bluewings and Iranian champions and Asian powerhouse in Zob Ahan.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
K League is in full swing at the moment with 23 games already played in the 2011 season. Suwon is sitting in 4th place after 23 games with 11 wins, 3 draws and 9 loses. With 36 points, Suwon is sitting 6 points behind 3rd position.
So far in the Asian Champions League, Suwon hasn’t lost a game so far in the 2011 Asian Champions …

This week we look at the 3rd quarter final between Iranian Champions and regular Asian Champions League League contender Sepahan and Qatari champion Al Sadd. 
Sepahan
The 2011/12 Persian League is only 3 matches old with Sepahan sitting in 7th position with only 1 win so far and two draws a total of 5 points. Their first and only win was against Sanat Naft which is currently sitting in 8th position. Given that the new season is underway, Sepahan will certainly be greared up for the Quarter Final and as always will have a …

Two goals deep into extra time helped Al Hilal avert a shock exit and reach the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League despite a 4-2 defeat to Al Gharafa.
The hosts were trailing 3-0 from the first leg but wasted no time restoring parity in the quarter-final tie with first-half goals from Mirghani Al Zain, Younus Mahmood and Othman El Assas at Al Gharafa Stadium.
Mahmood scored again in extra time to put Al Gharafa on the brink of a memorable victory but late goals by …

Al Shabab clinched a place in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League despite a 1-0 defeat to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at King Fahd International Stadium.
Kim Jee-wong’s long-range strike midway through the first-half gave the visitors hope they could overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg of the quarter-final encounter following a disappointing defeat in Korea.
But they could not find the elusive second they needed and went out 2-1 on aggregate to their Saudi opponents.
Jeonbuk posed most of the attacking threat in a first-half …

Iranian side Zobahan have continued their fairytale Asian Champions League run, qualifying for the semi finals of the competition after their 3-2 aggregate win over defending champions Pohang Steelers.
The Esfahan club will likely face Al Hilal in the next stage of the competition assuming the Saudi giants finish the job against Qatari champions Al Gharafa later this evening.
It’s another low-point in what’s been a disappointing season for Pohang meanwhile, who have been poor in the K-League and have now seen their continental campaign come to a surprise end.
Park Chang-Hyun’s men were in …

The Suwon Bluewings came close to completing a remarkable turn-around in their all-K-League Asian Champions League quarter final against Seongnam Ilhwa, beaten 4-3 on aggregate.
After suffering a disastrous 4-1 loss on a horrid Tancheon Sports Complex pitch away from home in the first leg, a revived Suwon were always going to have a difficult task on their hands upon their return home.
They would have had to become the first ever side to come back from more than two goals down in an ACL two-legged tie and it is to the credit of …

AFC Champions League 2010 Quarter-Final Schedule

Second Leg, 22/09/10

Pohang Steelers (KOR) vs Zob Ahan (IRN) (1 – 1) (FT) (2 – 3 Agg)
Suwon Samsung Bluewings (KOR) vs Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (KOR) (2 – 0) (FT) (3 – 4 Agg)
Al Gharafa (QAT) vs Al Hilal (KSA) (4 – 2) (FT) (4 – 5 Agg)
Al Shabab (KSA) vs Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (KOR)(0 – 1) (FT) (2 – 1 Agg)

The following table shows the leading goal-scorers in the 2010 AFC Champions League. Bold indicates the players teams are still active in the tournament.
9 goals – Jose Mota (Suwon).
5 – Denilson (Bunyodkor), Enio (Jeonbuk), Farhad Majidi (Esteghlal), Flavio (Al Shabab), Leandro (Al Sadd), Clemerson (Al Gharafa), Molina (Seongnam), Mahdi Rajabzadeh (Zob Ahan, four for Mes Kerman).
4 – Shoki Hirai (Gamba Osaka), Dzenan Radoncic (Seongnam), Yasser Al Qahtani (Al Hilal), Lee Dong-gook (Jeonbuk), Sand (Al Ain), Victor (Al Ahli).

A Dzenan Radoncic double has given Seongnam Ilhwa a three goal margin and what looks like an unlosable position against their fellow in their all-K-League Asian Champions League quarter final against Suwon Bluewings.
Seongnam took the early leadbut didn’t manage to capitalise on it when Suwon hit back with an equaliser eight minutes later through Yeom Ki-Hun.
After having to commit bravely to make a save at the feet of Radoncic after the towering hitman had combined superbly with Mauricio Molina on the edge of the area, veteran goalkeeper Lee Woon-Jae was then …

Iran’s Zobahan recorded an important home victory by two goals to one against reigning champions Pohang Steelers in the first leg of their ACL quarter-final. Brazilian striker Igor Castro gifted the home side the lead, but Mota drew things level again after the interval. Mahdi Rajabzadeh then scored  penalty give the home side a crucial home win.
Zobahan dominated play from the beginning of the match and needed only sixteen minutes of play to open the score. Mohammad Ghazi nodded the ball into the path of forward Igor Castro and the Brazilian …

Saudi club Al Hilal took a big leap towards the semi finals of the Asian Champions League, after a stunning attacking performance gave them a 3-0 victory over Qatari side Al Gharafa. Al Gharafa now have a difficult task albe it at home in a week’stime to reverse the loss.
Right from the starting whistle it was Al Hilal who went on the offensive, and they waited just 13 minutes before being able to get their name on the scoresheet. Thiago Neves fed a pass into the area that the defence …

Al Shabab produced have taken the advantage from the first leg of the Asian Champions League quarter final by beating K-League champions Jeonbuk Motors 2-0 away from home.
Goals were scored by Fahad Hamad and Juan Olivera. This is Al Shabab’s second appearance in the quarter finals stages.
Lead by the indomitable Marcelo Tavares at the back Al Shabab closed down Jeonbuk’s attacking threat for the majoirty of the match, Jeonbuk coming closest through an Eninho free kick that clipped the outside of the post.
Lee Dong-Gook was a nuisance during the first half, …

AFC Champions League 2010 Quarter-Final Schedule

First Leg, 15/09/10

Final Score – QF3: Jeonbuk Motors (KOR) vs Al Shabab (KSA), (0-2)

Final Score – QF4: Seongnam Ilhwa (KOR) vs Suwon Bluewings (KOR), (4-1)

Final Score – Al Hilal (KSA) vs Al Gharafa (QAT), (3 -0)

Final Score – Zoba Ahan (IRN) vs Pohang Steelers (KOR), (2 -1)

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has announced the appointment of Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar as head coach of the Men’s Olympic Team for the 2012 Olympic Games and assistant coach of the Socceroos.

Vidmar, who quit The Reds after two successful AFC Asian Champions League campaigns, will replace Graham Arnold, who will take up the role of Central Coast Mariners head coach after the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
FFA CEO Ben Buckley said Vidmar’s appointment showed FFA was serious about developing Australian coaches for important …

Luiz Felipe Scolari and his team of coaches said their final goodbyes to Bunyodkor officials today with both parties insisting the relationship had been beneficial.
“We are pleased to have worked together,” Bunyodkor sporting director Muradilla Alimbaev told the club’s official website.
“We are sure that Scolari’s work in Uzbekistan will have a big effect very soon. Our players gained some very useful experience and I guess that other Uzbek club coaches learned a lot useful things from Scolari and his team.”
Scolari’s task upon his …

The quarterfinals draw of the the Asian Champions League is due to be drawn on May 25.
“Mainly it is an open draw. But we have only one exception, which is the case of having two clubs from the same country. In this case, we apply the country protection rule,” AFC Competitions Director Tokuaki Suzuki told the-afc.com.
“On the other hand, this rule doesn’t apply if one country has three or more clubs in the quarter-finals.”
Korea Republic is represented in the last eight by defending champions Pohang Steelers, 2006 champions Jeonbuk Motors, …