Malaysia's Safawi completes Portimonense move

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Malaysia's Safawi completes Portimonense move

Portimão: Safawi Rasid has been officially unveiled as a Portimonense player, with the player joining the Portuguese club from Malaysia champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT).

The Malaysian winger, who started his career with Malaysia Premier League outfit T-Team in 2015 before moving to JDT two years later, will be wearing Portimonense's number 29 shirt.

He has joined on loan with the option of signing a contract at the end of the season.

"I'm unbreakable": Awer Mabil’s incredible football journey

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

"I'm unbreakable": Awer Mabil’s incredible football journey

Sydney: From growing up in a refugee camp to being relegated twice and coming to terms with the passing of his sister, Socceroos attacker Awer Mabil has had to endure hard times to achieve his dreams.

The 25-year-old recently realised a massive goal of qualifying to play UEFA Champions League group stage football, which will be also be a first for Danish side FC Midtjylland.

It comes just months after Mabil capped off an outstanding 2019/20 season in Denmark by lifting his side’s third league title in six years and scoring a career-best eight goals.

Mahmoud Fekri takes charge of Esteghlal

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Mahmoud Fekri takes charge of Esteghlal

Tehran: Mahmoud Fekri has made a return to Esteghlal FC as head coach, having previously played for the club. 

Fekri, 51, replaces interim coach Majid Namjoo Motlagh, who led the Iran Pro League side to the 2020 AFC Champions League Round of 16, eventually losing 2-1 to Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor.

Fekri was previously head coach of Nassaji Mazandaran.

Second Bahrain Premier League title for Al Hidd

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Second Bahrain Premier League title for Al Hidd

Manama: Al Hidd won the Bahrain Premier League title for the second time after defeating Busaiteen 2-0 in the final round of matches on Wednesday. 

The win saw Al Hidd finishing on 41 points, one ahead of Al Muharraq, as they added to the Bahrain Premier League title won in 2015-16.

Brave Cui’s passion for refereeing undiminished by serious health scare

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Brave Cui’s passion for refereeing undiminished by serious health scare

Beijing: Cui Yongmei has proved there is nothing in this world which can deprive her of the love for refereeing. Not even a life-threatening event.

One of the best regarded female referees China PR has ever seen, Cui was announced to join the match officials’ team for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France. Just as she was working against the clock to prepare herself for her second women's football extravaganza - she worked as an assistant referee at Canada 2015 – Cui was urgently taken to hospital at the start of last year after an unexpected heart attack.

Vote for your AFC International Player of the Week

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Vote for your AFC International Player of the Week

Kuala Lumpur: With bags of goals, penalty saves and last-minute heroics, Asian stars once again left their mark of the footballing world over the past seven days.

We’ve cast our net across Europe, Africa and North America to find the best Asian performers outside the continent over the last week. Now it’s up to you to help us select a winner.

Here are our 10 nominees from September 29 to October 5.

AFC Champions League 2020 (WEST): The Stats Wrap

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

AFC Champions League 2020 (WEST): The Stats Wrap

Doha: After three weeks of intense action in Qatar, the West Asia section of the 2020 AFC Champions League concluded with Persepolis FC overcoming Al Nassr on penalties in the semi-final to advance to the showpiece event for the second time in three years.  

The Iranian giants will not learn their opponents for December's finale until the sides in East Asia complete their half of the draw later in the year as the Continent's premier club competition gets set to take centre stage once more from mid-November onwards.

Before which, the-AFC.com looks back at the facts and figures that caught the eye in the West, from the opening Matchdays in February to the end of the knockout rounds in Qatar.