AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25

A brace from Talisca, one each from Cristiano Ronaldo and Wesley and an own goal by Fabio Cardoso paved the way for the Saudi Arabian side, who climbed to third in the standings on 10 points.

The victory, which came after the defender beat Vladimir Nazarov with a miss-hit punt forward in the 51st minute, earns Al Rayyan their first points of the campaign and moves the Qatar Stars League side off the bottom of the standings in the league phase.

Pakhtakor, meanwhile, remain on two points after four games and are still waiting for their first win in the competition as the club from Tashkent slipped out of the top eight places in the table that guarantee progress to March’s knockout rounds.

It was JDT’s second win of their campaign, both of which have come at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium as they triumphed for the third consecutive year against Ulsan, having beaten them in the 2022 and 2023 AFC Champions League™.

The loss left two-time Asian champions Ulsan against the ropes as it was their fourth consecutive defeat with no goals scored.

Takayuki Yoshida’s side silenced Jasir Asani, the competition’s leading scorer, who failed to add to his six goals from the opening three games with Kobe climbing to the top of the standings with 10 points from their opening four games.

Miyashiro gave Kobe the lead with a penalty three minutes into first half injury time and Sasaki converted from close range nine minutes after the interval to maintain the Japanese side’s own unbeaten start to the competition.

On his first return to Japan for a competitive match since leaving Yokohama F. Marinos in December 2023, Kevin Muscat’s side were no match for Frontale who picked up a second win of their campaign to move onto six points.

Mark Jackson’s side picked up their first point of the campaign when Brandtman netted at a late corner having seen Andre Luis and Yu Hanchao give the visitors a significant advantage with goals in the 50th and 64th minutes respectively.

But Sabit Ngor pulled one back for Mariners with 15 minutes remaining and Brandtman struck five minutes into added time to break the AFC Cup holders’ losing run in the competition in front of their own fans at Central Coast Stadium.

A brace from Talisca, one each from Cristiano Ronaldo and Wesley and an own goal by Fabio Cardoso paved the way for the Saudi Arabian side, who climbed to third in the standings on 10 points.

In securing the second win of the campaign, Sepahan moved onto six points, one behind their beaten opponents and four adrift of Jordan’s Al Wehdat SC to make it a three-way fight for the two qualifying spots to the knockout stage.

The win took the Jordanian side to 10 points and within striking distance of the knockout stage while Istiklol were eliminated with two matches to spare after suffering a fourth consecutive defeat.