دوري أبطال آسيا 2 2024-2025

Islamic Republic of Iran's Tractor FC and Sanfrecce Hiroshima of Japan were the first teams to book their Round of 16 spots despite the action only at the midway stage..

The-AFC.com takes a look at some interesting facts and figures from Matchday Four.

Hodak’s side were two goals down with 10 minutes remaining before mounting a spirited comeback to revive their knockout stage hopes with the win taking them to four points, five adrift of Thailand's Port FC and three behind Lion City Sailors with two matches remaining.

Tiago Orobo’s first half goal provided a respite for Jeonbuk, who are involved in a relegation battle with a playoff match to come against Daegu FC on Sunday.

Horikoshi had given Kaya the lead from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute but Bedic’s 69th minute expulsion for a second bookable offence unlocked the visiting defence for Eastern as Marcos Gondra struck the equaliser a minute later.

But a second penalty four minutes from time from Mendy ensured the points were claimed by Kaya and the result keeps the club’s slim hopes of securing a berth in the next round alive.

The win takes Port up to top spot on nine points, two ahead of Singapore’s Lion City Sailors while Zhejiang dropped to the bottom as they stayed on three points.

For two decades, the AFC Cup provided plenty of thrilling moments with many spectacular goals that will live long in the memory of Asian football lovers.

From bicycle kick to backheel flick and long-range screamer to brilliant solo effort, there is plenty of variety on offer as the-AFC.com rewinds the clock to 10 of the greatest goals ever witnessed in the competition’s history.

Over the AFC Cup's two-decade-long history since launching in 2004, numerous players across the continent have shone brightly, providing unforgettable moments to savour for Asian football fans.

The-AFC.com selects 10 superstars who lit up the AFC Cup, making it one of the most enjoyable competitions in the Asian football calendar.

Alou Kuol's 84th minute strike at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex clinched the title for Central Coast, with the triumph coming a decade after Western Sydney Wanderers had lifted the AFC Champions League™ title.

Seeking to win the AFC Cup for a second time, Lebanon's Al Ahed had to be satisfied with a second place finish following Alou Kuol's late winner for Australia's Central Coast Mariners.

The defender played a key role in Central Coast's AFC Cup journey, with the Australian club defeating Lebanon's Al Ahed FC 1-0 in the final at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Sunday.

On their debut in the competition, Mariners became just the second Australian club to win an AFC competition, a decade after Western Sydney Wanderers won the AFC Champions League™ on their own debut.

The final marked the last-ever game in the AFC Cup which will make way for the three-tier AFC competitions from next season; the AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League 2 and AFC Challenge League.

Lebanon's Al Ahed are seeking to lift the trophy for a second time after emerging champions in 2019 while Central Coast will be bidding to become the first Australian side to win the title in the final season of the AFC Cup.

With the first edition of the AFC Cup™ being launched in 2004, Sunday’s final will see the curtains come down on the prestigious tournament, marking the end of an illustrious 19-year run filled with some of the most iconic moments in Asian club football, as the 2024/25 season enters a new era with the introduction of the revamped three-tier club structure.

Having been introduced to the Asian football calendar two decades ago, the competition has seen 12 clubs from nine different nations being crowned as champions with Al Ahed themselves lifting the trophy in 2019 when they beat DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC in the final.

With the Lebanese side aiming to lift the coveted trophy for the second time against the A-League champions who’ve had a memorable debut season in the AFC Cup, the-AFC.com picks out three players from each side who could prove to be pivotal in the decider.