Bunyodkor’s FYROM striker Stevica Ristik will miss the opening AFC Champions League campaign as Luiz Felipe Scolari has opted for the Brazilians.

Ristik played a key role in Pohang Steelers’ continental victory in 2009. He was also the scorer of the match-winner against Bunyodkor in the quarter-final.

The 27-year-old Stevo and Brazilian Edson Ramos have been left out by Scolari as he picked up Rivaldo, Denilson and Joao Victor to fill up the quota of three non-Asian players.

Melbourne Victory today revealed the new home and alternate playing shirts it will wear in the upcoming AFC Champions League 2010 and announced ticketing details for its three Group Stage home games.

Leading Australian parking operator Care Park will grace the front of the new navy and white shirts, which both feature Melbourne Victory’s distinctive V and will be used exclusively in Asia’s premier club competition.

The AFC Champions League 2010 play-offs start on January 30. The two-phase play-offs will pit Al Karamah (Syria) against Al Wahda (UAE) in the West semi-final 1 while Churchill Brothers (India) have a bye in the semi-final 2 to the next stage and meet the winners of the Al Karamah-Al Wahda match in the final.

Melbourne Victory has named a 25-man squad for its upcoming Asian Champions League 2010 campaign, promoting six players from its National Youth League side.

Aziz Behich and Luke Pilkington, who both recently made their Hyundai A-League debuts, have been elevated alongside fellow Melbourne Victory Youth players Diogo Ferreira, Petar Franjic, Stephen Hatzikostas and goalkeeper Sebastian Mattei, while Celeski could return to action if Melbourne Victory progresses to the Round of 16.

AFC on Monday sent a stern warning to clubs competing in the 2010 AFC Champions League on the issue of withdrawal from the competition.

UAE side Sharjah withdrew from last year’s tournament after four matches. And AFC is determined to prevent a repeat by imposing stiff penalties.

The 2010 AFC Champions League draw was held on Monday with the cards throwing up a host of intriguing and mouth-watering clashes in Asia’s premier club competition.

Defending champions Pohang Steelers, 2009 runners-up Al Ittihad and former champions Gamba Osaka, Jeonbuk Motors and Al Ain were all given difficult assignments for the 2010 competition, which promises to be the best and most exciting yet.

Pohang Steelers defeated Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia 2-1 in the Asian Champions League final in Tokyo tonight.

The win gives the Pohang their 3rd title and they now sit as the most successful club team in Asian football history.

The first half ended goalless. Just before the 60th minute Pohang took the lead against the run of play through Noh Byung-joon. A couple of minutes later Kim Hyung-il scored the second through a header.

Al Ittihad  (KSA) 1 V 2 Pohang Steelers (KOR) (Full Time)
Pohand Steelers from South Korea are 2009 AFC Asian Champions. Congratulations……
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Its been a busy 2009 for most of the players and teams fighting for the title of Asian Champions 2009. In addition to league and cup games, many players have also had Asian Cup and World Cup commitments.

Lets track the long road to the final for both teams.

29 October 2009 -  UMM-SALAL (QAT) 1 – 2 POHANG STEELERS (KOR) – (FT) (Aggregate 1 – 4 )
28 October 2009  – NAGOYA GRAMPUS (JPN) 1 – 2 AL ITTIHAD (KSA) – (FT) (Aggregate 3 – 8 )
Game over for Nagoya and Umm Salal.
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Nagoya Grampus will be without the services of Takeuchi Akira in the 2nd leg of the AFC Champions League semi-finals against Al Ittihad on October 28.
Akira was red carded in the sixth minute of their first leg match, forcing Nagoya to manage with 10 players then on.
The Japanese side lost 6-2 despite leading with goal from Kennedy and Nakamura either side of Ahmed Hadid’s goal for Ittihad.
But the hosts burst to life in the second half, inspired by Noor who scored a superb hat-trick while further strikes from Luciano Leguizamon …

Al Ittihad’s Mohammed Noor scored a hat-trick tp inspire a 6-2 victory over 10-man Nagoya Grampus on Wednesday to put one foot in the AFC Champions League final.

Nagoya were disadvantaged following the dismissal of defender Akira Takeuchi. They did however twice take the lead through goals by Josh Kennedy and Naoshi Nakamura.

21 October 2009 -  POHANG STEELERS (KOR) – UMM-SALAL (QAT) – 2 : 0 ( Final score)
22 October 2009 3.50am (AEST) AL ITTIHAD (KSA) – NAGOYA GRAMPUS (JPN) – 6 : 2 (Final score)

Pohang Steelers will aim to make the most of home advantage as the K-League giants host Qatari first-timers Umm Salal in Wednesday’s Asian Champions League semi-final first leg.

Pohang have an impressive record at the Steelyard Stadium, where they crushed former A-League winners Newcastle Jets 6-0 in the round of 16 and beat Uzbek champions Bunyodkor 4-1 in the quarter-final second leg to overturn a 3-1 loss in Tashkent.

FC SEOUL (KOR) 1 – 1 UMM-SALAL (QAT) – Full Time (First Leg 2:3) – Umm Salal Progress 4:3
NAGOYA GRAMPUS (JPN) 3 – 1 KAWASAKI FRONTALE (JPN) – Full Time (First Leg 1:2) – Nagoya Progress 4: 3
AL ITTIHAD (KSA) 4 – 0 PAKHTAKOR (UZB) Full Time (First Leg 1:1) – AL Ittihad Progress 5:1
POHANG STEELERS (KOR) 4 – 1 BUNYODKOR (UZB) – Full Time (First Leg 1:3) – Pohang Progress 5:4
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Bunyodkor are best placed to secure their spot in the last four of the AFC Champions League, but the other three quarter-finals will be much closer.

Bunyodkor will travel to South Korea for a showdown with Pohang Steelers, with a comfortable 3-1 first leg lead from last week.

Pohang Steelers could struggle, with key defender Kim Hyung-Il missing after he was sent off in the opening leg.

Kawasaki Frontale came from behind to defeat Nagoya Grampus 2-1 in the first leg of this all Japanese Asian Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday afternoon in Tokyo.

But with the action moving to Nagoya next week, the tie is very much alive.

Josh Kennedy gave the visitors a deserved lead in the first half only for the hosts to come back after the break with goals from Kengo Nakamura and Juninho to take an advantage into the second leg.

The AFC has finalised the kick-off times for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the 2009 AFC Champions League (Asian Championship League).

The first legs of the quarter-finals are on September 23 and 24 while the return legs are on September 30.

The semi-final first legs take place on October 21 and the second legs one week later. For the semi-finals, two kick-off times are given depending on which teams advance to the last four.

The final is in Tokyo on November 7. The kick-off time has not yet been finalised.

Brazilian striker and leading J-League scorer Davi (Nagoya Grampus) will move to Qatari side Umm Salal.
Nagoya and Umm Salal reached an agreement on the 25-year-old’s move. The transfer is due to be completed after a medical.
Umm Salal have reached the quarter-finals of this year’s AFC Champions League against FC Seoul of Korea and this is their first major signing for the knockout stage.
After playing for various Brazilian clubs, Davi joined Consadole Sapporo in the J-League’s second division in 2007. He scored 17 goals in 39 matches to help earn Sapporo …

The draw for the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League has thrown up some interesting prospects, not least an all-Japanese clash.

The occasion marked the first time that the draw was open, meaning that teams from the same country could be drawn against each other. That is exactly what occurred when Kawasaki Frontale, who knocked out defending champions Gamba Osaka, were drawn against compatriots Nagoya Grampus.