J1 League 2023 – Season Preview

Thu, 16 Feb, 2023

J1 League 2023 – Season Preview

Tokyo: The 2023 J1 League campaign is set to kick off on Friday as defending champions Yokohama F. Marinos travel to their biggest rivals in recent years, Kawasaki Frontale. 

The Marinos won the 2022 edition after finishing two points ahead of Kawasaki, while between them they have picked up the past six titles dating back to 2017. 
 
As the new season approaches, the pair remain among the favourites, but plenty of other teams will hope to mount a serious challenge to become champions of Japan. 

Marinos' Muscat braced for challenging season

Wed, 15 Feb, 2023

Marinos' Muscat braced for challenging season

Tokyo: Yokohama F Marinos head coach Kevin Muscat is bracing for a testing start to the season when the new J1 League campaign begins on Friday, with his defending champions set to take on last year’s runners-up Kawasaki Frontale in the opening round.

The two clubs, who have won the last six J1 League titles between them and will represent Japan in the next edition of the AFC Champions League™, face off after F Marinos won last year’s title on the final day of the season, finishing two points ahead of Frontale.

Saudi Arabia to host 2023 FIFA Club World Cup

Wed, 15 Feb, 2023

Saudi Arabia to host 2023 FIFA Club World Cup

Paris: Saudi Arabia will host the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA said on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal SFC reached the final of the 2022 edition in Morocco last week, losing 5-3 to European champions Real Madrid.
 
The seven-team event will take place on December 12-22.

Europe Wrap: Kubo scores stunner; Trio shine for Celtic

Tue, 14 Feb, 2023

Europe Wrap: Kubo scores stunner; Trio shine for Celtic

Kuala Lumpur: Takefusa Kubo netted a brilliant half-volley to open the scoring in Real Sociedad’s 3-2 win over RCD Espanyol on Monday as the San Sebastian side continued their push for a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

Another Japanese star, Reo Hatate, came off the bench to bag a double after Daizen Maeda's opener, while Korea Republic’s Oh Hyeon-gyu also netted his first goal for the club as Celtic defeated St Mirren 5-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the Scottish FA Cup on Saturday. 
 
Elsewhere, Kim Min-jae’s Napoli extended their lead further in Italy, Ritsu Doan was key in SC Freiburg’s win in Germany and Naoki Maeda was on target in the Netherlands, so join the-AFC.com as we look back at how the Asian stars performed across Europe over the past week. 

ACL 2022 (West) Round of 16: East Asian Players to Watch

Fri, 10 Feb, 2023

ACL 2022 (West) Round of 16: East Asian Players to Watch

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Champions League™ 2022 Round of 16 (West) is almost upon us as eight teams from West Asia battle it out to decide who among them will face Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds for the coveted Asian crown.

While the focus has shifted to the West side of the draw, there is no shortage of East Asian representation in the last-16 ties with five of the remaining teams, including the holders Al Hilal SFC, featuring players from the opposite side of the continent. 
 
With the Round of 16 fixtures set to be played in Qatar on February 19 and 20, the-AFC.com profiles the stars from East Asia who could be crucial to their sides' chances in the West Asia leg of the continental showpiece.

Five memorable Al Hilal vs Shabab Al Ahli clashes

Wed, 15 Feb, 2023

Five memorable Al Hilal vs Shabab Al Ahli clashes

Dubai: Two AFC Champions League™ perennials in Al Hilal SFC and Shabab Al Ahli Dubai face-off in the Round of 16 of the 2022 edition, bringing to memory a history of classics over the years.

Ahead of their upcoming encounter in Qatar, the-AFC.com relives five of the most memorable matches between the two powerhouses who have faced each other as many as 10 times since 2009.

Three All-Qatari Round of 16 clashes

Tue, 14 Feb, 2023

Three All-Qatari Round of 16 clashes

Doha: The AFC Champions League™ 2022 Round of 16 brings along an all-Qatari encounter as Al Duhail SC take on Al Rayyan at Al Thumama Stadium on Sunday.

Ahead of the heavyweight clash, the-AFC.com recounts three previous encounters between Qatar Stars League rivals in the AFC Champions League.

FC Nasaf's continental journey through the years

Fri, 10 Feb, 2023

FC Nasaf's continental journey through the years

Kuala Lumpur: When FC Nasaf take to the pitch against Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab in Al Wakrah in Qatar on February 19, they will become the fourth Uzbek side to appear in the AFC Champions League™ knockout rounds and first from outside of the capital, Tashkent. 

The knockout fixture at Al Janoub Stadium may mark the Qarshi-based side’s first appearance in the Round of 16, but Nasaf have no shortage of pedigree when it comes to Asian club competitions, having lifted the AFC Cup™ in 2011. 
 
And while the Tashkent trio of Pakhtakor, Bunyodkor and Lokomotiv have dominated domestically over the past two decades, Nasaf remain the only club from the Central Asian country who can lay claim to being a continental champion. 
 
As Ruziqul Berdiev’s team prepare for the last 16 tie against the Riyadh giants, the-AFC.com looks back at Nasaf’s performances on the continent over the last 20 years. 

#ACL2022 (West) R16 - How they got there

Sat, 11 Feb, 2023

#ACL2022 (West) R16 - How they got there

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Champions League™ 2022 resumes with the West Zone set to decide its finalist in Doha in the coming days.

Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, having booked their spot from the East Zone last August, await their final opponents with a quality cast set to do battle in the West Zone Round of 16 on February 19 and 20. 
 
Join the-AFC.com as we take a look at how the eight teams reached the West Zone’s last 16 stage.