Japan's Shirai salutes his new starlets

Tue, 14 May, 2024

Japan's Shirai salutes his new starlets

Bali: Japanese head coach Sadayoshi Shirai applauded his new starlets after his side topped Group B unbeaten at the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup™ Indonesia 2024.

A brace from Hana Kikuchi and one goal apiece from Noa Fukushima and Ririka Nezu saw the defending champions defeat China PR 4-0 in their last match on Monday, concluding their group stage by scoring 12 goals and conceding one. 

They meet Korea Republic in Thursday’s semi-finals while China PR plays DPR Korea.

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Kritsada proud of Thailand’s win; Dower rues Australia’s poor finishing

Mon, 13 May, 2024

Kritsada proud of Thailand’s win; Dower rues Australia’s poor finishing

Bali: Kritsada Phungmali finally saw the best of his Thailand side after they beat Australia 3-1 in their final Group B match at the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup™ Indonesia 2024.

Thailand fought back from a goal down to win the game through efforts from Kurisara Limpawanich, Rinyaphat Moodong and Chutikan Kutikhun with head coach Kritsada putting that down to the players learning from their earlier experiences in the tournament.

#U17WAC - Semi-finalists decided

Mon, 13 May, 2024

#U17WAC - Semi-finalists decided

Bali: The AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup™ Indonesia 2024 semi-finals was finalised on Monday with Japan topping Group B after defeating China PR 4-0.

Both teams, alongside DPR Korea, had qualified for the last four stage after Matchday Two, with Korea Republic the last team to join the cast on Sunday.

Group B: Japan power past China PR to take top spot

Mon, 13 May, 2024

Group B: Japan power past China PR to take top spot

Bali: Japan defeated China PR 4-0 to top Group B of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup™ Indonesia 2024 at the Capt.1 Wayan Dipta Stadium on Monday.

Japan will meet Korea Republic while China PR will take on Group A winners DPR Korea in Thursday’s semi-finals. 

Group B: Thailand sign off on high note

Mon, 13 May, 2024

Group B: Thailand sign off on high note

Bali: Thailand ended their AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup™ Indonesia 2024 campaign on a high after they defeated Australia 3-1 in the final Group A match on Monday.

Rinyaphat Moondong scored one and assisted another, helping Kritsada Phungmali’s side to claim a comeback win as Australia ended their campaign with a third straight defeat.

Noh believes Korea Republic can do much better

Mon, 13 May, 2024

Noh believes Korea Republic can do much better

Bali: Korea Republic’s Noh Si-iun enjoys playing as a defender but she also likes moving upfield and assisting her teammates, especially when there is an urgent need to do so.

The 17-year-old showed this on numerous occasions during her side’s 1-1 draw against the Philippines on Sunday, a result that saw Korea Republic qualify for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup™ Indonesia 2024 semi-finals.

DPR Korea’s Kang aims to maintain momentum

Mon, 13 May, 2024

DPR Korea’s Kang aims to maintain momentum

Bali: Kang Ryu Min has been involved in at least one goal in each of DPR Korea’s three matches in Group A of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup™ Indonesia 2024 and the forward has vowed to take that form into the semi-finals.

Kang secured the player-of-the-match award after she assisted four goals and scored one as DPR Korea cemented top spot with a 9-0 win against Indonesia on Sunday.

Europe Wrap: Machida hits winner in Belgian Cup final; Miyazawa lifts FA Cup

Tue, 14 May, 2024

Europe Wrap: Machida hits winner in Belgian Cup final; Miyazawa lifts FA Cup

Kuala Lumpur: Japanese defender Koki Machida stabbed home from a corner in the dying seconds of the first half to help Union Saint-Gilloise edge Royal Antwerp 1-0 in the Belgian Cup final in Brussels on Thursday and secure the title for the third time.

Another Japanese star also experienced cup glory during the week as Hinata Miyazawa lifted the Women’s FA Cup in England with Manchester United while Australia full-back Ellie Carpenter’s Lyon set up a title showdown with Clare Hunt’s Paris Saint-Germain in France.

Lee Jae-sung struck twice to help Mainz down Borussia Dortmund 3-0 in Germany, Islamic Republic of Iran striker Mehdi Taremi hit a late winner for FC Porto in Portugal and Bahrain’s Abdulla Yusuf Helal scored for Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic, so join the-AFC.com as we find out how the Asian stars performed in Europe over the past week.

#ACL Final: 1st Leg in Numbers

Mon, 13 May, 2024

#ACL Final: 1st Leg in Numbers

Yokohama: Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos will carry a slender advantage into the second leg of the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 final after they edged Al Ain FC of the United Arab Emirates 2-1 in the first leg at Yokohama International Stadium on Saturday. 

Mohammed Abbas gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute, but Yokohama fought back with goals from Asahi Uenaka and Kouta Watanabe in the 72nd and 84th minutes to gain an upper hand at the halfway point of the title clash. 
 
With the stage set for an exciting conclusion to another edition of the AFC Champions League in Al Ain later this month, the-AFC.com looks back at the stats and facts that caught the eye from a thrilling first leg.

ASEAN Wrap: Central Coast edge Sydney; Tampines make winning start

Mon, 13 May, 2024

ASEAN Wrap: Central Coast edge Sydney; Tampines make winning start

Kuala Lumpur: Central Coast Mariners will take a one-goal advantage to the home leg of their A-League semi-finals after edging Sydney FC 2-1 on Friday while the other last-four tie remains firmly in the balance after Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix played out a goalless draw on Sunday.

The league season in Singapore kicked off with defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) suffering a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Tampines Rovers in the opening week while Buriram United’s bid to wrap up the league title in Thailand suffered a minor setback when they were held 1-1 by Port FC.
 
Nam Dinh defeated Becamex Binh Duong 3-1 in a top-of-the-table contest in Vietnam to consolidate their position at the summit while matches also took place in Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines, so join the-AFC.com as we review the week’s action from ASEAN.

Central & South Asia Wrap: Bashundhara Kings continue to reign

Mon, 13 May, 2024

Central & South Asia Wrap: Bashundhara Kings continue to reign

Dhaka: Bashundhara Kings bossed their way to a fifth successive Bangladesh Football Premier League title after attaining an unassailable lead with three more rounds to go.

In Islamic Republic of Iran, the battle for the crown has heated up with defending champions Persepolis overtaking Esteghlal in pole position but having played a match more, while in Uzbekistan, Navbahor climbed to the top of the table.
 
The Tajikistan Super Cup was once again won by Istiklol while matches were also played in Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, so join the-AFC.com as we recap all the domestic action from across Central and South Asia.