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.

10 February 2012 17:15
ESTEGHLAL (IRN) v ZOBAHAN (IRN) Azadi Stadium

18 February 2012 15:30
POHANG STEELERS (KOR) v CHONBURI FOOTBALL CLUB (THA) Pohang Steelyard

18 February 2012 20:00
AL SHABAB AL ARABI (UAE) v NEFTCHI (UZB) Al Maktoum Stadium

18 February 2012
Winner ACL Play-off West W v AL ETTIFAQ (KSA)

The draw for the Group Stage of the 2012 AFC Champions League took place at AFC House on Tuesday, with Asia’s premier club tournament set to set new standards next year thanks to a boost in prize money and a burgeoning interest from fans and media.

AFC Champions League 2012 – Group Stage
Group A

A1. Al Rayyan (QAT)

A2. Al Jazira (UAE)

A3. Nasaf (UZB)

A4. ACL Playoff West: winner 1 or 2 (TBC)

Group B
B1. Al Ittihad (KSA)

B2. Al Arabi (QAT)

B3. Baniyas (UAE)

B4. Pakhtakor (UZB)

Group C
C1. Sepahan (IRN)

C2. Al Ahli (KSA)

C3. Lekhwiya (QAT)

C4. Al Nasr (UAE)

Group D
D1. ACL Playoff West: winner 1 or 2 (TBC)

D2. Piroozi (IRN)

D3. Al Hilal (KSA)

D4. Al Gharafa (QAT)

Group E
E1. Gamba Osaka (JPN)

E2. ACL Playoff East: winner 1 or 2 (TBC)

E3. Bunyodkor (UZB)

E4. ACL Playoff East: winner 1 or 2 (TBC)

Group F
F1. Ulsan Hyundai (KOR)

F2. Emperor’s Cup winner (JPN)

F3. Brisbane Roar (AUS)

F4. Beijing Guoan (CHN)

Group G
G1. Tianjin Teda (CHN)

G2. Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (KOR)

G3. Nagoya Grampus (JPN)

G4. Central Coast Mariners (AUS)

Group H
H1. League champions (THA)

H2. Guangzhou Evergrande (CHN)

H3. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (KOR)

H4. Kashiwa Reysol (JPN)

AFC Champions League 2012 – Playoffs

East Zone – 18/02/12

Pohang Steelers (KOR) v FA Cup winners (THA)

West Zone – 11/02/12 – Round 1

Esteghlal (IRN) v Zob Ahan (IRN)

18/02/12 – Round 2

Al Shabab (UAE) v Neftchi (UZB)

Round 1 winner (TBC) v Al Ettifaq (KSA)

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 keeper and Al Sadd keeper, Saqr.

Mamadou Niang also fired a powerful shot in a few minutes later.

With 17 minutes played, Jeonbuk took the lead when Eninho was brought down just outside the box. Eninho took the free kick himself and fired home a brilliant opener into the far side of Saqr’s net.

It didn’t however take Al Sadd to level the game. Al Sadd’s Keita flighted a cross towards Khalfan Ibrahim on the edge of the six-yard box and as the midfielder jumped with Sim, the defender flicked the ball past Kim Min-sik in the Jeonbuk goal leveling the final.

Eninho came close to getting Jeonbuk the lead again in the 57th minute. Having already scored enterprising goals from corners in previous encounters he tried the set piece again but Saqr managed to tip the cross against the bar.

Against the run of play, Al Sadd then took the lead in the 63rd minute when a low cross from the left picked out Keita and the striker showed great ball control to fire the shot into the bottom corner from just inside the box.

The Qatari’s then tried to slow the game down with many unsportsman like antics which began to sour the game. Jeonbuk however never lost site of the goal and came agonisingly close soon after. Kim Dong-chan met Eninho’s in-swinging corner with a header that came back off the far post and the midfielder’s subsequent overhead kick was cleared off the line before Jeong blazed over from inside the area.

Jeonbuk then made some changes bringing in fresh legs. Lee Dong-gook replaced Luiz Henrique.

Kim Dong-chan pulled a low shot wide of Saqr’s goal with 10 minutes remaining before the Al Sadd keeper did brilliantly to push Jeong’s low drive from 12 yards through a crowd of players onto the post with three minutes to go.

It was do or die as the minutes ticked away. Jeonbuk pushed many players forward searching for the equaliser. Eninho’s corner from the right in the final minutes of regular time was headed in from close range at the back post by substitute Lee Sung-hyun as the stadium erupted and the game went into extra time.

Lee Dong-gook was presented with many opportunities to win the game for Jeonbuk which in any other game he would have normally taken. In the 101st minute he wasted a great opportunity with a miskick unmarked in front of goal.

Jeong headed Eninho’s cross off target two minutes into the second period of extra time before Saqr denied him with a fantastic save with seven minutes to go. Saqr was Al Sadd’s saviour and best player by far.

Jeobuk control the extra time period but even the woodwork was on the side of Al Sadd. An Eninho corner hit an Al Sadd defender but bounced off the base of the post.

Afif was sent off in the dieing stage of the second half (he deserved to be sent off earlier for an elbow), but Al Sadd held on for penalties.

After the first three spot-kicks all found the back of the net, Kim Dong-chan blasted straight at Saqr before Lee Jang-soo calmly strode up but sidefooted his penalty against the underside of the bar.

Saqr denied Park, Ibrahim Majed blasted into the corner and Kim Sang-sik scored before Belhadj displayed fine composure to fire home the winning penalty.

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.

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)

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)

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 points which came from 13 wins, 12 draws and 1 loss.

FC Seoul
FC Seoul is currently sitting mid table in the K League. In 6th position after 19 games and with 30 points in the 2011 season, FC Seoul have 8 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses. In actual fact they are only 4 points away from 2nd position which is Pohang, so the current season is turning out to be a good one for them at the moment and places them in a very strong position in order to reach the semi finals.

Their results for the last three rounds have been as follows:

23/07/11  FC Seoul 4 – 1 Gwangju
17/07/11  Pohang Steelers 1 – 2 FC Seoul
9/07/11  FC Seoul 3 – 2 Sangju Sangmu

With FC Seoul currently half way through their season, their match fitness will be a telling factor in the results of these games. An away draw will set them up for a strong home finish in the return leg.

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.

Cerezo Osaka
Cerezo Osaka is currently sitting in 11th position in the J League after having played 17 games, with 5 wins, 6 draws and 6 losses. At this stage they are way out of the running for next year’s Asian Champions League competition, so doing well in 2011 will be quite important for them. With just 21 points, Cerezo is sitting 12 points below third place. Their results for the last three rounds have been as follows:

Wed 13/07/11  Cerezo Osaka 2 – 3 Júbilo Iwata
Sat 16/07/11  Vissel Kobe 4 – 1 Cerezo Osaka
Sat 23/07/11  Cerezo Osaka 4 – 0 Shimizu S-Pulse

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Jeonbuk Hyundai is currently sitting first in the 2011 K League season. With 12 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses they have 40 points 6 points ahead of 2nd place and 8 points ahead of 3rd position. This places them in a great position in order to quality for next year’s Asian Champions League Competition.

Their results for the last three rounds have been as follows:

Sun 10/07/11  Ulsan 0 – 0 Jeonbuk Motors
Sat 16/07/11  Gwangju 1 – 1 Jeonbuk Motors
Sun 24/07/11  Jeonbuk Motors 2 – 0 Seongnam

Whilst I am not a betting man, I would certainly have Jeonbuk at the favourite to progress into the semi finals at this stage.

The Japanese women’s team arrived at the Narita International Airport to a rapturous welcome as thousands of fans greeted them after being crowned the Queens of the world.

Thousands of joyous, flag-waving fans wearing the team’s dark blue jerseys were present at the airport as the Homare Sawa-led contingent made its way into the terminal.

Two trucks shot out celebratory arches of water over the team’s aircraft as it approached the terminal.

Ayumi Kaihori, Japan’s star goalkeeper in their 3-1 penalty shootout victory over US in the final, was the first to come out of the terminal followed by the rest of the team members as fans scrambled for photographs.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan called the victory the “greatest gift” to the nation, especially to the residents of the northeast coast most devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

A nation reeling from months of tragedy has been united in joyous celebration after a team nicknamed “Nadeshiko” — for a pink mountain flower — became the first from Asia to win the biggest prize in women’s football.

AFC Champions League 2011 – Knockout Stage Draw

Quarter-finals
QF1 Cerezo Osaka (JPN) v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (KOR)
QF2 Al Ittihad (KSA) v FC Seoul (KOR)
QF3 Sepahan (IRN) v Al Sadd (QAT)
QF4 Suwon Samsung Bluewings (KOR) v Zob Ahan (IRN)

Semi-finals
SF 1 Winner QF4 v Winner QF3
SF 2 Winner QF2 v Winner QF1

Final
Winner SF2 v Winner SF1

The first leg of the AFC Champions League 2011 quarter-finals take place on September 14, while the return fixtures of quarter-finals one and two will be played on September 27 with the second leg of quarter-finals three and four scheduled for the following day.

Gamba Osaka (Japan) v Cerezo Osaka (Japan) (0 – 1) (FT)
Jeonbuk Motors (Korea Republic) v Tianjin Teda (China) (3- 0) (FT)

Sepahan (Iran) v Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan) (3 – 1) (FT)
Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) v Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) (3 – 1) (FT)

FC Seoul (Korea Republic) v Kashima Antlers (Japan) (3 – 0) (FT)
Suwon Bluewings (Korea Republic) v Nagoya Grampus (Japan) (2 – 0) (FT)

Al Sadd (Qatar) v Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia) Sheik (1 – 0) (FT)
Zob Ahan (Iran) v Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia) (4 – 1) (FT)

The round of 16 games have been determined with Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad winners of Group C to host Al Hilal on May 24 while 2008 champions Japan’s Gamba Osaka will meet Cerezo Osaka on the same day.

Japan and Saudi Arabia have four teams each in the knockout round Saudi Arabia – Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Shabab and Al Nassr – and Japan – Gamba Osaka, Cerezo Osaka, Kashima Antlers and Nagoya Grampus.

Korea will have three teams – FC Seoul, Suwon Bluewings and former winners Jeonbuk Motors – in the Round of 16 with the exception of Jeju United while Iran will be represented by Sepahan and Zob Ahan. China, Uzbekistan and Qatar will have one team each.

THE SCHEDULE

May 24

Sepahan (Iran) vs Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan)
Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) vs Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Gamba Osaka (Japan) vs Cerezo Osaka (Japan)
Jeonbuk Motors (Korea Republic) vs Tianjin Teda (China)

May 25

Al Sadd (Qatar) vs Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia)
Zob Ahan (Iran) vs Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia)
FC Seoul (Korea Republic) vs Kashima Antlers (Japan)
Suwon Bluewings (Korea Republic) vs Nagoya Grampus (Japan)

FT – HANGZHOU GREENTOWN (CHN) v FC SEOUL (KOR) (1 – 1)
FT – PAKHTAKOR (UZB) v AL SADD (QAT) (1 – 1)
FT – GAMBA OSAKA (JPN) v TIANJIN TEDA (CHN) (2 – 0)
FT – JEJU UNITED (KOR) v MELB VICTORY (AUS) (1 – 1)
FT – AL AIN (UAE) v NAGOYA GRAMPUS (JPN) (3 – 1)
FT -  AL JAZIRA (UAE) v SEPAHAN (IRN) (1 – 4)
FT – AL HILAL (KSA) v AL GHARAFA (QAT) (2 – 0)
FT – ESTEGHLAL (IRN) v AL NASSR (KSA) (2 – 1)

FT – SHANGHAI SHENHUA (CHN) v SUWON SAMSUNG BLUEWINGS (KOR) (0 – 3)
FT – CEREZO OSAKA (JPN) v SHANDONG LUNENG FC (CHN) (4 – 0)
FT – JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS (KOR) v AREMA MALANG (IDN) (6 – 0)
FT – KASHIMA ANTLERS (JPN) v SYDNEY FC (AUS) (2 – 1)
FT – AL WAHDA (UAE) v PIROOZI ATHLETIC (IRN) (2 – 0)
FT – AL ITTIHAD (KSA) v BUNYODKOR (UZB) (1 – 1)
FT – AL RAYYAN (QAT) v EMIRATES (UAE) (2 – 0)
FT – ZOBAHAN (IRN) v AL SHABAB (KSA) (0 – 1)

AL GHARAFA (QAT) v AL JAZIRA (UAE) (5 – 2) (FT)
SEPAHAN (IRN) v AL HILAL (KSA) (1 – 1) (FT)
AL NASSR (KSA) v PAKHTAKOR (UZB) (4 – 0) (FT)

TIANJIN TEDA (CHN) v JEJU UNITED (KOR)(3-0) (FT)
NAGOYA GRAMPUS (JPN) v HANGZHOU GREENTOWN (CHN) (1 – 0) (FT)
PIROOZI ATHLETIC (IRN) v AL ITTIHAD (KSA) (3 – 2) (FT)
BUNYODKOR (UZB) v AL WAHDA (UAE) (3 – 2) (FT)
SHANDONG LUNENG FC (CHN) v JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS (KOR) (1 – 2) (FT)
SUWON SAMSUNG BLUEWINGS (KOR) v SYDNEY FC (AUS) (3 – 1) (FT)
AREMA MALANG (IDN) v CEREZO OSAKA (JPN) (0 – 4) (FT)
KASHIMA ANTLERS (JPN) v SHANGHAI SHENHUA (CHN) (2 – 0) (FT)
EMIRATES (UAE) v ZOBAHAN (IRN) (0 – 1) (FT)
AL SHABAB (KSA) v AL RAYYAN (QAT) (1 – 0) FT)
AL SADD (QAT) v ESTEGHLAL (IRN) (2 – 2) (FT)
MELB VICTORY (AUS) v GAMBA OSAKA (JPN)(1-1) (FT)
FC SEOUL (KOR) v AL AIN (UAE)(3-0)(FT)

FT – MELB VICTORY (AUS) v TIANJIN TEDA (CHN) (2 – 1)
FT – GAMBA OSAKA (JPN) v JEJU UNITED (KOR) (3 – 1)
FT – JEONBUK HYD MOTORS (KOR) v CEREZO OSAKA (JPN) (1 – 0)
FT -  SHANDONG LNG FC (CHN) v AREMA MALANG (IDN) (5 – 0)

FT – AL GHARAFA (QAT) v SEPAHAN (IRN) (1 – 0)
FT – AL JAZIRA (UAE) v AL HILAL (KSA) (2 – 3)
FT – PIROOZI ATHLETIC (IRN) v BUNYODKOR (UZB) (1 – 3)
FT – AL ITTIHAD (KSA) v AL WAHDA (UAE) (0 – 0)

FT - AL NASSR (KSA) v AL SADD (QAT) (1- 1)
FT – FC SEOUL (KOR) v NAGOYA GRAMPUS (JPN) (0 – 2)
FT – SHANGHAI SHENHUA (CHN) v SYDNEY FC (AUS) (2 – 3)
FT – KASHIMA ANTLERS (JPN) v SUWON BLUEWINGS (KOR) (1 -1)
FT – AL AIN (UAE) v HANGZHOU GREETN (CHN) (1 – 0)
FT – EMIRATES (UAE) v AL SHABAB (KSA) (2 – 1)
FT – ZOBAHAN (IRN) v AL RAYYAN (QAT) (1- 0)
FT – PAKHTAKOR (UZB) v ESTEGHLAL (IRN) (2 – 1)

Sydney FC v Kashima Antlers – Live Score (0 – 3)(FT)

Sydney FC’s prospects of making the AFC Asian Champions League knockout phase have nosedived after crashing to a 3-0 loss to Japanese side Kashima Antlers at the Sydney Football Stadium on Wednesday night.

It was Sydney’s first home loss in an ACL game and left it in a parlous position with all three of its remaining games offshore.

Kashima joined Korean side Suwon on five points in the four-team group, with Sydney and China’s Shanghai Shenhua both three points further back at the halfway stage.

Midfielder Takuya Nozawa lashed the ball home from close range in the 41st minute for the first goal and provided the cross for unmarked Brazilian Gabriel to head home early in the second half.

Shinzoh Koroki blasted home a third in time added-on.

With its two most creative players in Nicky Carle and David Williams out injured, Sydney struggled to create clear cut chances.

Sydney’s main threat was the aerial presence of striker Bruno Cazarine.

In the first half, the big Brazilian had a stooping header comfortably saved and powered another one just wide from a corner.

He was narrowly off target with another aerial attempt after the break and had a shot saved just before Kashima scored its third goal.

Kashima threatened more at ground level, with classy midfielder and skipper Mitsuo Ogasawara and Toru Araiba going close before Nozawa broke the deadlock.

With Carle and Williams out and defender Sebastian Ryall hurt, Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka gave a first ACL start to Dimi Petratos and Rhyan Grant and recalled Shannon Cole.

Chances were at a premium early on in front of a third straight ACL crowd of just over 7,000 at the SFS.

Lavicka made a change at halftime, bringing on defender Andrew Durante for Stephan Keller, who suffered an ankle injury.

For all its industry and purpose, Sydney lacked the guile to unlock a Kashima defence which has conceded just one goal in its three ACL games.

ESTEGHLAL (IRN) v PAKHTAKOR (UZB) (4 – 2) (FT)
HANGZHOU GREENTOWN (CHN) v AL AIN (UAE) (0 -0) (FT)
SUWON SAMSUNG BLUEWINGS (KOR) v KASHIMA ANTLERS (JPN) (1 – 1) (FT)
NAGOYA GRAMPUS (JPN) v FC SEOUL (KOR) (1 -1) FT)
SYDNEY FC (AUS) v SHANGHAI SHENHUA (CHN) (1-1) (FT)
AL RAYYAN (QAT) v ZOBAHAN (IRN) (1 – 3) (FT)
AL SHABAB (KSA) v EMIRATES (UAE) (4 – 1) (FT)

BUNYODKOR (UZB) v PIROOZI ATHLETIC (IRN) (0 – 0) (FT)
TIANJIN TEDA (CHN) v MELBOURNE VICTORY (AUS) (1 – 1) (FT)
JEJU UNITED (KOR) v GAMBA OSAKA (JPN) (2 – 1) (FT)
AREMA MALANG (IDN) v SHANDONG LUNENG FC (CHN) (1- 1) (FT)
CEREZO OSAKA (JPN) v JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS (KOR) (1 – 0) (FT’)
SEPAHAN (IRN) v AL GHARAFA (QAT) (2 – 0) (FT)
AL HILAL (KSA) v AL JAZIRA (UAE) (3 – 1) (FT)
AL SADD (QAT) v AL NASSR (KSA) (1 – 0) (FT)
AL WAHDA (UAE) v AL ITTIHAD (KSA) (0 – 3) (FT)

FT – BUNYODKOR (UZB) v AL ITTIHAD (KSA) (0 – 1)
FT – SUWON SAMSUNG BLUEWINGS (KOR) v SHANGHAI SHENHUA (CHN) (4 – 0)
FT -  SHANDONG LUNENG FC (CHN) v CEREZO OSAKA (JPN) (2 – 0)
FT – AREMA MALANG (IDN) v JEONBUK HYUNDAI MOTORS (KOR) (0 – 4)
FT -  FC SEOUL (KOR) v HANGZHOU GREENTOWN (CHN) (3 -0)
FT -  TIANJIN TEDA (CHN) v GAMBA OSAKA (JPN) (2 – 1)
FT – MELBOURNE VICTORY (AUS) v JEJU UNITED (KOR) (1 – 2)
FT -  AL GHARAFA (QAT) v AL HILAL (KSA) (0 – 1)
FT – SEPAHAN (IRN) v AL JAZIRA (UAE) (5 – 1)
FT – AL NASSR (KSA) v ESTEGHLAL (IRN) (2 – 1)
FT – AL SADD (QAT) v PAKHTAKOR (UZB) (2 – 1)
FT – PIROOZI ATHLETIC (IRN) v AL WAHDA (UAE) (1 – 1)
FT – EMIRATES (UAE) v AL RAYYAN (QAT) (2 – 0 )
FT – AL SHABAB (KSA) v ZOBAHAN (IRN) (0 – 0)

KASHIMA ANTLERS (JPN) v SYDNEY FC (AUS)  (Postponed)
NAGOYA GRAMPUS (JPN) v AL AIN (UAE) (Postponed)