Poyet happy as Jeonbuk achieve double target

Fri, 21 Feb, 2025

Poyet happy as Jeonbuk achieve double target

Jeonju: Head coach Gustavo Poyet was pleased with the performance of his fringe players as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC cruised into the AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 quarter-finals on Thursday. 

Leading 4-0 after the first leg, Poyet opted to field players he wanted to assess as Park Jae-yong’s fifth minute goal saw Jeonbuk defeat Thailand’s Port FC 1-0 on the night and 5-0 on aggregate to set up a last eight meeting with Australia’s Sydney FC. 

www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_two.html/video/acltwo-|-r16-2nd-leg-jeonbuk-hyundai-motors-fc-kor-1-0-5-0-agg-port-fc-tha

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Rankovic: Sailors ready to compete with the best

Fri, 21 Feb, 2025

Rankovic: Sailors ready to compete with the best

Singapore: Aleksandar Rankovic has warned that Lion City Sailors FC are ready to challenge the best after the Singapore side advanced to the AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 quarter-finals in emphatic fashion on Thursday.

Leading 3-2 from the first leg, Sailors produced a scintillating performance to defeat Thailand’s Muangthong United 4-0 in the return leg of their Round of 16 tie with Rankovic confidently targeting an extended run, with Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima up next for his side.

Segecic: Sydney showed character in Bangkok triumph

Thu, 20 Feb, 2025

Segecic: Sydney showed character in Bangkok triumph

Pathum Thani: Adrian Segecic expressed pride after Sydney FC showed resilience to edge Bangkok United 3-2 in their AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 Round of 16 second leg tie to advance to the quarter-finals with a 5-4 aggregate score. 

Goals from Joe Lolley and Segecic followed by an extra time winner from Douglas Costa gave the Australian side victory after Bangkok had taken a 3-2 aggregate lead following Muhsen Al Ghassani's first half strike.

Skibbe delighted with Sanfrecce’s dominant show

Thu, 20 Feb, 2025

Skibbe delighted with Sanfrecce’s dominant show

Hiroshima: Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima displayed their title credentials after brushing aside Nam Dinh FC of Vietnam 4-0 in the return leg of their AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 Round of 16 tie on Wednesday.

Head coach Michael Skibbe noted that apart from one early chance for Nam Dinh, Sanfrecce were the better side in the tie and fully deserved to advance to the quarter-finals, as shwon by the 7-0 aggregate win.

Al Taawoun's drive makes Abdali proud

Thu, 20 Feb, 2025

Al Taawoun's drive makes Abdali proud

Buraidah: Head coach Mohammed Al Abdali spared no praise for his Al Taawoun FC players after they sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Two™ 2024/25 after an energy-sapping win against Al Wakrah SC on Wednesday.

Reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute, Al Taawoun fought back to level, were within seconds of winning at the end of extra time and then showed nerves of steel to win the penalty shootout after the return leg ended 2-2 on the night and 4-4 on aggregate.

Venues for AFC Champions League Elite™ Finals confirmed

Thu, 20 Feb, 2025

Venues for AFC Champions League Elite™ Finals confirmed

Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has today confirmed the venues for the AFC Champions League Elite™ Finals 2024/25, which will see Asia’s top eight clubs battle for supremacy in a centralised format in single-leg ties from April 25 to May 3, 2025.

Following the decision to appoint the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) as the Host Association for the AFC Champions League Elite™ Finals for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons in December 2023, the King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah have been selected to host the decisive battles of the most sought-after club prize in Asian football.

Muscat confident Port will turn things around

Thu, 20 Feb, 2025

Muscat confident Port will turn things around

Shanghai: Head coach Kevin Muscat retains belief that it is only a matter of time before his Shanghai Port FC side return to winning ways in the AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 after ending their League Stage campaign with a defeat on Wednesday.

Port lost 2-0 to Yokohama F. Marinos, the second defeat in as many weeks after the 4-0 reverse to Vissel Kobe seven days ago.

The China PR side, however, finished in eighth place to reach the knockout stage.

Loss wants Buriram to dream of glory

Wed, 19 Feb, 2025

Loss wants Buriram to dream of glory

Gwangju: Head coach Osmar Loss has dared his Buriram United to dream big after they booked a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 knockout stage on Tuesday. 

Despite having to settle for a draw after giving up a two-goal advantage to Korea Republic’s Gwangju FC, the point was enough for the Thai side to advance with their last 16 opponents to be decided when the East Zone’s League Stage concludes on Wednesday.

Johor Darul Tazim live up to Bidoglio’s expectations

Wed, 19 Feb, 2025

Johor Darul Tazim live up to Bidoglio’s expectations

Johor Bahru: Head coach Hector Bidoglio was over the moon after his Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) side showed their immense quality to book their AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024/25 Round of 16 spot with a 5-2 defeat of FC Pohang Steelers of Korea Republic on Tuesday. 

The Malaysian champions roared back in style after going behind to Lee Ho-jae’s opener, with five players finding the net in what ultimately was an emphatic win at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, with JDT finishing fourth in the East Zone standings on 14 points.

Up next for them will be another Korea Republic side - Gwangju FC - with JDT having the advantage of playing the return leg at home. 

Tanaka on the double as Japan beat Australia

Fri, 21 Feb, 2025

Tanaka on the double as Japan beat Australia

Miami: Mina Tanaka struck twice as Japan defeated Australia in a 4-0 win in the opening game of the SheBelieves Cup in Houston on Thursday, giving new head coach Nils Nielsen the perfect start.

Japan dominated from the outset, taking the lead in the sixth minute when a low shot from Fuka Nagano was directed into the bottom corner by Tanaka.

Lee challenges Korea Republic to maintain intensity

Fri, 21 Feb, 2025

Lee challenges Korea Republic to maintain intensity

Shenzhen: Korea Republic head coach Lee Chang-won expects more of the same intensity his side showed in their Group D tie against Japan in the quarter-finals of the AFC U20 Asian Cup™ China 2025.

Trailing to Soma Kanda’s first half strike, Korea Republic kept pushing and were rewarded with a stoppage time strike from substitute Kim Tae-won to force the draw and finish as the Group D winners, with defending champions Uzbekistan their next opponents.

Syria’s Mohammad disappointed; Pereira proud of his Thai squad

Fri, 21 Feb, 2025

Syria’s Mohammad disappointed; Pereira proud of his Thai squad

Shenzhen: Syria and Thailand bid goodbye to the AFC U20 Asian Cup™ China 2025 when they exited with a thrilling 2-2 draw that went down to the wire on Thursday.

While the Group D match had its moments in the first half, it sprung to life after the break when 10-man Thailand came back from a two-goal deficit in a 10-minute span courtesy of Thanawut Phochai’s brace.

Goals from Ahmad Al Kalou and Mohammad Al Mustafa saw the West Asians take the lead to ultimately finish third while Thailand closed their campaign at the bottom.