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)

With the world cup come and gone, we can now turn our attention back to the Asian Champions League Quarter Finals. Months have passed since the round of 16 was played and teams have had a long break to regroup and prepare.

Qatar’s Umm Salal ended hopes of an all K-League AFC Champions League semi-final by holding FC Seoul to a 1-1 draw in Wednesday’s quarter-final second leg to advance 4-3 on aggregate.

Defending a 3-2 first leg advantage, Umm Salal enjoyed a dream start as Aziz Ben Askar opened the scoring after just 14 minutes but Dejan Damjanovic gave Seoul hope with an instant response.

Pohang Steelers striker Stevica Ristic headed home in extra-time as the K-League side completed a second-leg turnaround as Wednesday’s 4-1 win secured a 5-4 aggregate triumph and a place in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League.

Two goals from Denilson and a strike for substitute Kim Jae-sung in the second half looked to have completed the unlikely turnaround for Pohang following last week’s 3-1 defeat in Tashkent.

Australia striker Josh Kennedy struck with two minutes remaining as Nagoya Grampus downed J. League counterparts Kawasaki Frontale 3-1 on Wednesday to secure a place in the AFC Champions League semi-finals after edging through 4-3 on aggregate.

Following Kawasaki’s 2-1 home win in last week’s first leg, Yoshizumi Ogawa and Maya Yoshida scored in the first half for Nagoya before Jong Tae-se hit back for the visitors before half-time.

Al Ittihad breezed into the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League as they produced a convincing performance to defeat Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan 4-0 for a 5-1 victory on aggregate.

The quarter-final first leg finished 1-1 but Al Ittihad had been dominant in that encounter and were once again the better side as goals from Sultan Al Nemri, Amine Chermiti, Hicham Aboucherouane and captain Mohammed Noor sealed the emphatic win.

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
//

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.

Al Ittihad coach Gabriel Calderon claimed the Saudi Arabia champions were unfortunate not to leave Uzbekistan with a victory under their belts despite having to come from behind to secure a 1-1 draw in their AFC Champions League quarter-final first-leg encounter against Pakhtakor.

Serbian midfielder Milan Nikolic fired the hosts ahead at Pakhtakor Stadium after just six minutes but the home side were unable to add to their tally during an evenly-balanced encounter.

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.

Two late goals from Asian Player of the Year Server Djeparov gave Bunyodkor a come-from-behind 3-1 win over ten-man Pohang Steelers in the first leg of this Asian Champions League quarter-final.

The late strike gives Luiz Felipe Scolari a win in his first game in the continental competition and a significant advantage for the second leg in South Korea on September 30.

Qatari outfit Umm-Salal stunned FC Seoul of South Korea in their Asian Champions League quarter final on Wednesday by coming back from two goals down to win 3-2.

The victory gives them every chance of progressing to the semi finals, with the second leg of the quarter final taking place in a week’s time.