Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: After a five-week break, the Qatar Stars League’s wheels resume turning for the second phase this week. The-AFC.com looks back at the major stories and talking points from Qatar's top division in a mid-season review.
New era, old habits
Last summer, the QSL witnessed an overhaul when five-time champions Lekhwiya merged with El Jaish to form a new club; Al Duhail. The new entity heavily resembled the former and as the season began, it was clear that their winning ways would remain the same even in a new era.
At the end of the first half of the competition, Al Duhail led the standings without losing a game. Djamel Belmadi's men have been in imperious form during the first half of the season, scoring 40 goals in their 11 games and racking up 29 points out of a possible 33.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/xavi_4.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/qsl5.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/nam.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: With a spot at the FIFA World Cup 2018 Russia and as many as three places in the 2019 AFC Champions League at stake, the 2017-18 UAE Pro League has been full of thrilling action. The-AFC.com looks back at how the competition panned out at the midway point.
Fine Margins at the Top
Following a strong start to the season by Al Wahda, under 2014 AFC Champions League finalist coach Laurentiu Reghecampf, it was Al Ain and Al Wasl who went neck and neck for the remainder of the first half of the season, trading places at the top two spots.
Ultimately, with 11 matchweeks of the season completed, there was very little to separate the two, as both the Cheetahs and the Boss remained unbeaten, boasting an identical record of seven wins and four draws to reach the midway point of the league season with 25 points each.
The title contenders had started the season with 2-2 draw at Al Ain’s Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, meaning it’s Al Wasl who were crowned ‘Winter Champions’ courtesy of their two away goals.
Going Under
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The quest to land the biggest purse prize in Asian club football history will begin on Tuesday as the AFC Champions League – the Continent’s premier club competition – returns to action.
The AFC Champions League 2018 kicks off with four clubs gearing up to advance past the Preliminary Stage 1 qualifiers. Myanmar National League champions Shan United FC will play host to Ceres Negros FC from the Philippines at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon at 4pm local time.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Liga 1 2017 runners-up Bali United will kick start their maiden appearance in the AFC club competitions when they face Singapore’s Tampines Rovers at the Capt. I Wayan Dipta Stadium at 7.30pm local time.
The winners of this year’s AFC Champions League – which is already one of the richest continental club competitions in world football and is second only to Europe – will receive the competition’s largest-ever reward of US$4m, up from US$3m.
The 2018 runners-up will also get an extra US$500,000 taking the total purse to US$2m, while the AFC Cup winners will also bag a record US$1.5m this year.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Qatar's Al Gharafa have made their intentions clear ahead of the 2018 AFC Champions League Play-offs by bolstering their squad with two major signings; Wesley Sneijder and Mehdi Taremi.
The seven-time Qatari champions have not appeared in the AFC Champions League group stage since 2013 and will look to end that absence when they take on Uzbek side Pakhtakor in the play-off for the 2018 edition on January 30.
Dutch international Sneijder is undoubtedly one of the biggest names to move to the region in the January transfer window and arrives on the back of a glittering career in Europe.