Saudi Arabia lead latest AFC Club Competitions Ranking

Mon, 27 May, 2024

Saudi Arabia lead latest AFC Club Competitions Ranking

Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed the latest AFC Club Competitions Ranking, with Saudi Arabia taking the top spot.

With a total of 103.148 points to their name, chart-toppers Saudi Arabia are followed by Japan and Korea Republic in the second and third places respectively.

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Crespo: Al Ain's triumph due to self belief

Sun, 26 May, 2024

Crespo: Al Ain's triumph due to self belief

Al Ain: His players gatecrashed the post-match press conference to honour him but as far as Hernan Crespo was concerned, Saturday's AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 triumph was the result of a collective effort.

The side from the United Arab Emirates were simply unstoppable as Crespo's players did exactly what he had promised they would - turn the pressure on in front of their adoring fans.

The end result was an emphatic 5-1 win at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, with Al Ain triumphing 6-3 on aggregate to lift the trophy for a second time after having waited for 21 years.

ASEAN Wrap: Mariners win historic treble; Persib gain upper hand in title clash

Mon, 27 May, 2024

ASEAN Wrap: Mariners win historic treble; Persib gain upper hand in title clash

Kuala Lumpur: Central Coast Mariners posted a 3-1 extra-time victory against Melbourne Victory in the A-League Grand Final on Saturday to win their second consecutive Championship title – adding to their AFC Cup™ 2023/24 and Premiers Plate triumphs this season and becoming the first Australian club to complete a treble.

In Indonesia, Persib Bandung took a big step towards winning their first league title in a decade after a double from David da Silva helped Bojan Hodak’s side defeat Madura United 3-0 in the first leg of the Liga 1 final on Sunday while Bali United and Borneo FC played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their third-place playoff.

Defending champions Buriram United were knocked out of the Thai League Cup on Wednesday by Muangthong United who will now face BG Pathum United in the final while matches also took place in Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Myanmar, so join the-AFC.com as we review the week’s action from ASEAN.

Shaikh Salman commends Al Ain on securing #ACL 2023/24 title

Sun, 26 May, 2024

Shaikh Salman commends Al Ain on securing #ACL 2023/24 title

Kuala Lumpur: Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President, has praised Al Ain FC after the United Arab Emirates side staged a 5-1 comeback victory over Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos to secure their second AFC Champions League™ title at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday.

With Al Ain trailing 2-1 after falling in the first leg in Yokohama two weeks ago, the United Arab Emirates’ most successful club rebounded in serendipitous fashion to capture their second Continental club crown, adding to the title they won in the inaugural 2002/03 AFC Champions League™ edition as the showpiece makes way for the AFC Champions League Elite™ later this year.

Al Ain's Rahimi wins MVP, Top Scorer awards

Sun, 26 May, 2024

Al Ain's Rahimi wins MVP, Top Scorer awards

Al Ain: Soufiane Rahimi won the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 Most Valuable Player and Top Scorer awards, his 13 goals playing a pivotal role in Al Ain FC winning the title on Saturday.

The Moroccan scored twice in the 5-1 win against Yokohama F. Marinos in Saturday's second leg, as the side from the United Arab Emirates emerged winners for the second time after having lifted the title in the inaugural edition in 2003.

Al Ain claim historic second title

Sun, 26 May, 2024

Al Ain claim historic second title

Al Ain: Doubles from Soufiane Rahimi and Kodjo Laba drove United Arab Emirates’ Al Ain FC to win the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 title following a 5-1 victory over Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos in the second leg of the final at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday.

The J1 League side had won the first leg 2-1 in Yokohama, but a scintillating second-half performance from Al Ain meant the inaugural winners of the AFC Champions League in 2002-03 become also the last team to win it under the current format before the launch of the AFC Champions League Elite next year.

Following their continental triumph, Al Ain become Asia’s fourth representatives at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, joining Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC, Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds and Korea Republic’s Ulsan HD at the US tournament next year.