Al Ain part ways with Crespo

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

Al Ain part ways with Crespo

Kuala Lumpur: Al Ain FC have parted ways with head coach Hernan Crespo, the two-time AFC Champions League™ winners announced on Wednesday.

Crespo leaves the club less than a year after taking charge, having led UAE's Al Ain to the AFC Champions League 2023/24 title in May.

MD4: FC Pohang Steelers (KOR) 4-2 Shandong Taishan (CHN)

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

MD4: FC Pohang Steelers (KOR) 4-2 Shandong Taishan (CHN)

Pohang: FC Pohang Steelers cruised to a 4-2 win over China PR’s Shandong Taishan at the Steelyard on Wednesday to revive their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25  campaign.

The win took Pohang to six points while Shandong remained rooted on four.

MD4: Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) 5-0 Buriram United (THA)

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

MD4: Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) 5-0 Buriram United (THA)

Yokohama: Yokohama F Marinos handed 10-man Buriram United a 5-0 defeat at International Stadium on Wednesday to climb up the standings in the league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 as the competition reaches the halfway stage.

Anderson Lopes scored twice after Kenta Inoue had given the hosts an 11th minute lead while a Neil Etheridge own goal and a close range effort from Asahi Uenaka in the 66th minute completed the win for John Hutchison’s side after Sasalak Haiprakhon’s sending off.

Marinos, who lost their opening game of the campaign 7-3 to Gwangju FC, move up to third in the standings with seven points, ahead of Buriram on goal-difference as the Thai League 1 side drop to sixth in the quest for a top eight finish and a place in the knockout rounds.

Pioli revels in Al Nassr's dominant display over Al Ain

Wed, 06 Nov, 2024

Pioli revels in Al Nassr's dominant display over Al Ain

Riyadh: Head coach Stefano Pioli expressed satisfaction with Al Nassr Club’s continued improvement following their commanding 5-1 win over Al Ain FC in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 on Tuesday.

Pioli’s charges raced to a 3-0 first half lead which paved the way for the Saudi Arabia side to claim a third win and third place in the standings.

Ali eyes resurgence as Al Rayyan end barren run

Wed, 06 Nov, 2024

Ali eyes resurgence as Al Rayyan end barren run

Tashkent: Al Rayyan SC finally secured their first AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 victory following a 1-0 win over Pakhtakor on Tuesday with head coach Younes Ali highlighting his side’s resilience for the triumph.

Having weathered heavy pressure in the first half, Ali oversaw a reversal in the second half with Hazem Shehata bagging the winner in the 51st minute to end Al Rayyan’s three-match losing run and revive their progression chances as the Qatari side moved into the knockout stage spots with four matches to go.

Kobe’s tenacity pleases Yoshida; Gwangju’s Lee accepts defeat

Wed, 06 Nov, 2024

Kobe’s tenacity pleases Yoshida; Gwangju’s Lee accepts defeat

Kobe: Vissel Kobe head coach Tadayuki Yoshida commended his team’s defensive discipline after their 2-0 victory over Gwangju FC in their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2025/25 tie on Tuesday.

The result lifted the Japanese champions to the top of the East Zone standings with four rounds lo play.

Relief for Frontale’s Oniki; Port’s Muscat disappointed with first half showing

Wed, 06 Nov, 2024

Relief for Frontale’s Oniki; Port’s Muscat disappointed with first half showing

Kawasaki: Head coach Toru Oniki was delighted to come through a difficult period with some positives after his Kawasaki Frontale side claimed a 3-1 win against Shanghai Port FC in their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 tie on Tuesday.

Since announcing that he will step down from the role at the end of the season, Oniki has seen his side fail to win in their last three matches in all competitions but the shackles were well and truly off against the newly-crowned Chinese Super League champions.

Bidoglio: JDT's philosophy delivered win

Wed, 06 Nov, 2024

Bidoglio: JDT's philosophy delivered win

Johor Bahru: Hector Bidoglio was proud that the Johor Darul Ta'zim philosophy was on full display in their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 win over Ulsan HD on Tuesday.

Goals from Arif Aiman, Oscar Arribas and Bergson saw the Malaysian side defeating Ulsan HD for the third season running at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium as they stayed well on course for a knockout stage spot.

Our best performance, says Mariners' Jackson

Wed, 06 Nov, 2024

Our best performance, says Mariners' Jackson

Gosford: Mark Jackson was effusive in his praise after Central Coast Mariners fought back from two goals down to earn the first point of their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 campaign on Tuesday.

Trailing 2-0 to China PR's Shanghai Shenhua after goals from Andre Luis and Yu Hanchao, the Australian side reduced the deficit through Sabit Ngor with 15 minutes on the clock with Bailey Brandtman scoring deep into injury time to end Mariners' three-match losing run.

Group A - MD4: Tractor FC (IRN) 7-0 FC Ravshan (TJK)

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

Group A - MD4: Tractor FC (IRN) 7-0 FC Ravshan (TJK)

Doha: Sokol Cikalleshi’s first half hat-trick powered Tractor FC to a 7-0 defeat of Tajikistan’s FC Ravshan on Wednesday as the side from the Islamic Republic of Iran booked their place in the knockout rounds of the AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25.

Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh also scored twice and Ricardo Alves netted from the penalty spot for Tractor after an own goal from Kholmurod Nazarov in the fourth minute sent the Iranians on their way to a comprehensive victory at Thani bin Jassim Stadium in Doha.

The win was Tractor’s third in a row in Group A and the result means Dragan Skocic’s outfit cannot finish outside the top two in the three-team group, with Ravshan still without a point from their three games to date. Qatar’s Al Wakrah are second in the standings.

Group B - MD4: Al Khaldiya SC (BHR) 4-1 Air Force SC (IRQ)

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

Group B - MD4: Al Khaldiya SC (BHR) 4-1 Air Force SC (IRQ)

Riffa: Bahrain’s Al Khaldiya SC put themselves in the driver’s seat for a spot in the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 after a 4-1 win against Air Force SC of Iraq in their Group B tie on Wednesday.

Back-to-back wins against Air Force have left Al Khaldiya in a strong position to advance to the next stage as they now sit level on nine points with Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun FC and, crucially, three ahead of Air Force.

Group D - MD4: PFC Nasaf (UZB) 1-2 Al Hussein SC (JOR)

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

Group D - MD4: PFC Nasaf (UZB) 1-2 Al Hussein SC (JOR)

Qarshi: Jordan’s Al Hussein SC increased their knockout stage chances after edging PFC Nasaf of Uzbekistan 2-1 in their AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 Group D tie on Wednesday.

Al Hussein’s third win on the trot gives them a huge advantage heading into the business end of the group stage as they now hold a five-point lead on Nasaf with only the top two advancing to the knockout stage.

Group G - MD4: Bangkok United FC (THA) 4-1 Lee Man (HKG)

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

Group G - MD4: Bangkok United FC (THA) 4-1 Lee Man (HKG)

Pathum Thani: Two goals from Richairo Zivkovic and strikes from Wanchai Jarunongkran and Muhsen Al Ghassani saw Bangkok United FC complete a second-half comeback to win 4-1 over Hong Kong's Lee Man in Group G of the AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 on Wednesday.

Samuel Rosa’s deflected effort four minutes before the interval had given the lead to the visitors, who were looking for their first win of the campaign, but Totchtawan Sripan’s side pulled clear after the interval to take the three points.

Victory moves Bangkok United onto 10 points from four games and to the verge of booking their place in December’s draw for the last 16 while the loss for Lee Man means the side from Hong Kong, China cannot advance.