Australia's Mooy, Rogic to miss Saudi Arabia, Oman ties

Fri, 05 Nov, 2021

Australia's Mooy, Rogic to miss Saudi Arabia, Oman ties

Sydney: Australia will be without key midfield duo Aaron Mooy and Tom Rogic when they take on Saudi Arabia and China PR in their crucial AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar 2022 encounters later this month.

Head coach Graham Arnold named a 24-man squad on Friday and was forced to exclude the pair – as well as Cerezo Osaka striker Adam Taggart – as Australia seek to consolidate their position in the automatic qualification berths in Group B for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Neutral venues for the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™ confirmed

Fri, 05 Nov, 2021

Neutral venues for the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™ confirmed

Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed today the neutral venues for the upcoming AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™ fixtures scheduled to take place on November 11 and 16, 2021.

Iraq, who will be looking to extend their two-match unbeaten run in Group A, will face their home ties against Syria and Korea Republic on November 11 and 16 respectively at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

Similarly, China PR will also continue to play their upcoming Group B home encounters against Oman and Australia on November 11 and 16 respectively in a neutral venue at the Sharjah Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.

Moriyasu includes Kawasaki Frontale defensive trio for Japan's Vietnam, Oman challenges

Sat, 06 Nov, 2021

Moriyasu includes Kawasaki Frontale defensive trio for Japan's Vietnam, Oman challenges

Tokyo: Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu has called up J-League winning defensive trio Shogo Taniguchi, Miki Yamane and Reo Hatate for the country’s clashes in the AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar 2022 against Vietnam and Oman later this month.

The trio helped Toru Oniki’s Kawasaki Frontale side win their fourth J-League title in five seasons on Wednesday and are among six changes to Moriyasu’s squad from the one that faced Saudi Arabia and Australia in October.

2021 AFC Cup Final - Preview: Muharraq, Nasaf seek continental glory again

Sat, 06 Nov, 2021

2021 AFC Cup Final - Preview: Muharraq, Nasaf seek continental glory again

Arad: The 2021 AFC Cup train reaches its final stop at Sheikh Ali Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium on Friday as 2008 winners Muharraq Club of Bahrain take on 2011 champions FC Nasaf from Uzbekistan in a final showpiece anticipated by Asian football aficionados.

Clashing for the first time in AFC competitions in the red dominated ground located in Bahrain’s northern island are two of the competition’s perennial contenders, both eyeing a second AFC Cup after a decade away from continental glory.

Both clubs share the honour of being the only side from their respective nations to win an AFC competition and the only ones to compete in an AFC Cup final, but for all their proud history in the AFC Cup and before it the Asian Club Championship, the two sides have never met. In fact, Muharraq have never played any Uzbek opponents and Nasaf have never faced a Bahraini side, making for an intriguing clash of styles as pointed out by Muharraq head coach Isa Al Sadoon.

2021 AFC Cup final - Muharraq Club: Players to Watch

Thu, 04 Nov, 2021

2021 AFC Cup final - Muharraq Club: Players to Watch

Kuala Lumpur: Years pass, generations change but something remains unchanged at Muharraq Club; every player who pulls on the famous red shirt dreams of playing a role in bringing home the AFC Cup title.

Nearly a decade and a half after the iconic mid 2000s squad created history in Bahrain, winning the 2008 AFC Cup, the current contingent are gearing up to face FC Nasaf with the trophy within touching distance. We have picked three players who could play a vital role in the final, having already done say en route to reaching this stage.

2021 AFC Cup Final - FC Nasaf: Players to Watch

Thu, 04 Nov, 2021

2021 AFC Cup Final - FC Nasaf: Players to Watch

Kuala Lumpur: They are the men who have propelled FC Nasaf to Friday’s AFC Cup final, and they will be eager to ensure that the best chapter in the club’s 2021 story remains yet to be written.

With six successive wins to their name and 21 goals scored, there have been several impressive players to Nasaf’s stellar run to the decider against Bahrain's Muharraq Club, but we’ve picked out three of the very best.

2021 AFC Cup Final - The Coach: Isa Al Sadoon (Muharraq Club)

Fri, 05 Nov, 2021

2021 AFC Cup Final - The Coach: Isa Al Sadoon (Muharraq Club)

Arad: Few managers are as intertwined with their club’s recent history as Isa Al Sadoon, who prepares to lead Bahrain’s Muharraq Club in the 2021 AFC Cup final against FC Nasaf on Friday.

Born in Bahrain’s northern island of Muharraq and having spent the biggest chunk of his career at his hometown club, Al Sadoon returned for a third spell in charge of the club last year and is now within one match of crowning a lifelong association with Muharraq Club with a continental trophy.

Interning under iconic coach Salman Sharida in the early 2000s, Al Sadoon developed his coaching career through the age group teams at Muharraq, eventually being promoted to an assistant coach post from which he contributed to bringing home Bahraini football’s first-ever continental title as Muharraq Club lifted the 2008 AFC Cup.

2021 AFC Cup Final - The Coach: Ruzikul Berdiev (FC Nasaf)

Fri, 05 Nov, 2021

2021 AFC Cup Final - The Coach: Ruzikul Berdiev (FC Nasaf)

Kuala Lumpur: Nearly a quarter of a century after arriving at the club, Ruzikul Berdiev is one match away from capping one of Asian football’s great tales of longevity with an AFC Cup title.

Delve into the history of FC Nasaf, and Ruzikul Berdiev is almost always there.
 
In fact, it is a challenge to find a significant milestone achieved by the club without the 50-year-old being involved in some form.

2021 AFC Cup Final – Muharraq SC vs FC Nasaf: Facts and Stats

Thu, 04 Nov, 2021

2021 AFC Cup Final – Muharraq SC vs FC Nasaf: Facts and Stats

Kuala Lumpur: The 17th edition of the AFC Cup final will take place on Friday as Bahrain’s Muharraq Club host Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf at Sheikh Ali Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad. 

Both sides will be looking to win the continental competition for the second time, with Muharraq having been crowned champions in 2008 and Nasaf claiming the title three years later. 

Ahead of the showpiece event, the-AFC.com looks at some of the key stats and facts involving the two teams.