The 2012 Asian Champions League season is just on a month away and we are at the business end of the play-offs. These are the games coming up over the course of February that will determine the final places for the 2012 Group Stage.

Nadir Belhadj converted the winning penalty as Al Sadd lifted the 2011 AFC Champions League trophy following a dramatic final with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in Korea.
The final was played in front of over 41,000 spectators in Korea with Al Sadd scoring a victory only after extra time was over and penalties where the deciding factor.
Jeonbuk had the first attempt to get into the lead just minutes into the game when Eninho sent through a dipping shot from over 30 meters out only to be stopped by man of the match …

Congratulations to Al Sadd for winning the 2011 AFC Asian Champions League.
After leading 2 – 1 in the second half of regular time, Jeonbuk equalised with minutes remaining. Extra time was dominated by Jeonbuk who had many chances including hits to the woodwork. However Al Sadd keeper played a great final and was outstanding during the penalty shout out which Al Sadd won 4 – 2.
Congratulations Al Sadd once again.

Al Sadd have made it to the Final of the Asian Champions League and will now face Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for the 2011 title. Al Sadd overcame Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2-1 on aggregate.

A two one victory for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors sees them reach the Final of the 2011 AFC Champions League

Jeonbuk came into the second leg leading 3-2, Eninho built on Jeonbuk’s advantage when he made it 4 – 2 on aggregate midway through the first-half. The Brazilian then put it beyond reach with a great goal direct from a corner before fellow Brazilian Wendel pulled one back for Al Ittihad with 20 minutes to go.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors took the upper hand in the 2011 AFC Champions League semi-final with Al Ittihad.
Jeonbuk made a fantastic start when they took the lead with only a minute played.
Eninho drilled a corner from the left low towards the near post that took a deflection before hitting the back of the net.
Four minutes later, Hazazi climbed between two defenders and headed Sultan Al Numare’s cross beating keeper Kim Min-sik.
Al Ittihad then took the lead for the first time in the match when Jeonbuk failed to deal with forward run …

Mamadou Niang scored two second have goals which have taken Al Sadd close to reaching the final of the 2011 AFC Champions League.
The game effectively turned on at the 13th minute mark 13 minutes when Yang Sung-min’s long-range effort was saved by goalkeeper Mohamed Saqr.
Sown through Lee Sang-ho then came close to giving Suwon the lead. The Al Sadd defence failed to deal with a Ristic’s cross from the right and allowed the ball to bounce through to Lee Sang-ho who shot just wide..
Al Saad have been compacted up until …

LIVE! – Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors V Al Sadd 2 – 2 (120′ FT)
Penalties: 2 – 4
Al Sadd 2011 AFC Champions League Champions
Yes, it is finally here. The 2011 AFC Asian Champions League Final will be played this Saturday evening 5 November 2011 in Korea, between the two best teams this season in Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Al Sadd. The game kicks off 7pm Korean time.
JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS (KOR) V AL SADD (QAT) (9PM AEST)

Round Two (Return Leg)
FT – Jeonbuk Motors (Korea Republic) v Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) (2 – 1) (5 – 3 Aggregate)
FT – Al Sadd (Qatar) v Suwon Bluewings (Korea Republic) (0 – 1) (2 – 1 Aggregate)
Round One of the AFC Semi Finals
Suwon Bluewings (Korea Republic) v Al Sadd (Qatar) (0 – 2) (FT)
Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) v Jeonbuk Motors (Korea Republic) (2 – 3) (FT)

A Mato Neretljak’s penalty in the first-half of extra time fired Suwon Samsung Bluewings into the semi-finals of the 2011 AFC Champions League with a 2-1 victory at Zob Ahan.
The second round match began with both sides locked at 1-1. If it had stayed this way, Suwon would have been happy enough, however Zobahan were playing at home and earned the first goal when when Mohammad Ghazi volleyed passed the keeper after 50 minutes.
The game went to 1 -1 fourteen minutes from time with Yang Sang-min’s header. It then went …

Al Sadd fought of a determined Sepahan to reach the semi-finals of the 2011 AFC Champions League 2011. The 2:1 loss means that on aggregate Al Sadd progress 4:2.
Although Sepahan won the first leg of the quarter-final 1-0 they were penalised with a 3 – 0 loss after it was discovered that they fielded an ineligible player .
In a lively start to the contest, Nadir Belhadj saw a close-range shot deflected behind by a Sepahan defender before the visitors took the lead in the sixth minute when Mohammed took a …

Al Ittihad have progressed into the semi finals of the 2011 AFC Champions League despite a 0-1 loss to FC Seoul away.
Al Ittihad who looked more dangerous in the opening minutes of the game and Kim Yong-dae was the first goalkeeper to be called into action. With 12 minutes gone, Sultan Al Numare unleashed a fierce shot just outside the area that had Kim lunging to push it away for a corner.
Seoul made their way into the game as the half progressed and controlled possession as the half drew to …

Lee Dong-gook scored four times in the second-half as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors cruised into the 2011 AFC Champions League semi-finals with a comprehensive 6-1 victory over Cerezo Osaka at Jeonju World Cup Stadium.
Jeonbuk althogh trailing 4 – 3 from the first leg, controlled most of the first half. Both the Cerezo and Jeonbul keepers showed how they earned their money early on by showing how good their reflexes are.
Jeonbuk got the break-through they were after at the 30 minute mark when Luiz Henrique played an inch-perfect pass into Eninho’s path, …

LIVE! – QF1 – JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS (KOR) – CEREZO OSAKA (JPN) (6 – 1) (FT) Aggregate (9 – 5)
LIVE! – QF2 – FC SEOUL (KOR)-AL ITTIHAD (KSA) (1 – 0) (FT) Aggregate (2 – 3)
LIVE! – QF3 – AL SADD (QAT)-FOOLAD MOBAREKEH SEPAHAN (IRN) (1 – 2) (FT) Aggregate (4 – 2)
LIVE! – QF4 – ZOBAHAN (IRN)-SUWON SAMSUNG BLUEWINGS (KOR) (1 – 2) (FT) Aggregate (2 – 3)

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 …

QF1 – CEREZO OSAKA (JPN)-JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS (KOR) (4 – 3) (FT)
QF4 – SUWON SAMSUNG BLUEWINGS (KOR)-ZOBAHAN (IRN) (1 – 1) (FT)
QF2 – AL ITTIHAD (KSA)-FC SEOUL (KOR) (3 – 1) (FT)
QF3 – FOOLAD MOBAREKEH SEPAHAN (IRN)-AL SADD (QAT) (1 – 0) (FT)

Whilst we are still over a month away from round 1 of the 2011 Asian Champions League Quarter Finals, I wanted to review what each of the 8 quarter finalists was up to domestically as we approach the elimination games.
Al Ittihad
Al Ittihad are currently between seasons so we will need to reflect on how they performed during the 2010/11 season which concluded in May. Al Ittihad finished second in the Saudi First Division. First position went to Saudi heavy weights Al Hilal. Al Ittihad finished in second position with 51 …