AFC Champions League is an annual continental club football competition contested by the top division football clubs from across Asia. AFC champions are selected by their national association to compete in the AFC Champions League. The competition is the most prestigious in Asian football. It is the most prestigious club competition in the world. Here are some teams that made the cut this season. Read on to find out more about these teams. We also discuss how Ulsan Hyundai won the championship.
Al-Hilal
The second leg of Al Hilal’s campaign against Pohang Steelers in Riyadh will see the team face the Saudi Arabian side for the first time. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, Al Hilal will look to win the match 3-0 and seal the Asian Champions League title for the second time in three years. The Saudis have been in good form during this tournament, with their last three games seeing the team win all three of their group matches.
In the first leg of the tournament, the Saudi Arabian team is aiming to defend its title. The Asian Champions League is a club football competition that combines national championships with continental tournaments. This year, the Saudi team will face the UAE’s Al Ahli and the Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor. After winning the AFC Champions League in 2015, the Saudi side has won the competition three times.
Al-Hilal’s victory has been celebrated with a nod to their past success. Al-Hilal will be wearing the number seven on their jerseys as a tribute to the team’s four Asian titles. This success has whetted their appetite for more continental honours. If they can get past Persepolis, they can look to become the first team in history to win back-to-back titles.
Al-Sadd
In the last two seasons, the Asian Champions League has been a key factor in the progress of the UAE side Al Sadd SC. This team won the tournament in 2011 and again in 2014, and last year reached the semifinals. Al Sadd hasn’t been to the final in seven years, but they are still among the best teams in the region. They will play FC Nasaf in the 2022 final, but this time they’ll be facing a tougher opponent.
Xavi Hernandez led Al-Sadd to the Qatar league title in 2009, and he is now expected to add the Asian Champions League to his resumé. The Spain international has been widely rumored as a future Barcelona coach. His performances have been impressive at Al-Sadd, and the first match he’ll play for the team is against Iranian side Foolad. The club’s success is unlikely to come quickly, but the former Barcelona midfielder is looking to add another trophy to his CV.
After the first half, Al-Sadd were battling for a quarterfinal place. They were up against the Emiratis of Al Ain and were able to come from behind to win 2-1. Al-Sadd were able to do this by scoring an own goal in the 12th minute. Meshaal Aissa failed to trap the ball and it rolled into an unguarded net. But despite the late equalizer, the hosts still have a long way to go to qualify for the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League.
Al-Wehdat
The name of the AFC Champions League is a nod to a place where hope is needed the most. It’s also associated with the second largest Palestinan refugee camp in Jordan, the Amman New Camp. With around 57,000 registered refugees, Al-Wehdat is expected to be a force to reckon with. Regardless of how they do, it’s likely that they’ll be the first Jordanian side to reach the group stage of the AFC Champions League.
The AFC Champions League is a professional football tournament in Asia contested by 40 teams. The current champion is Al-Hilal Saudi. They hold the most titles and have been crowned champions twice. This year’s AFC Champions League group stage was delayed by two months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The final won’t be played until February of 2023. The next season is not expected to begin until the middle of 2023.
Korean giant Ulsan clinches 2nd Asian Champions League
For the second time, Ulsan Hyundai Motors have won the Asian Champions League, beating Iran’s Persepolis 2-1 in the final on Saturday. The win is the second straight for the Korean club, which has now won nine matches in a row in the tournament. Last year’s Asian Champions League final was interrupted by Al Hilal’s shock victory, as Saudi Arabia were eliminated early, threatening to dictate the narrative of the 2020 edition.
Jeonbuk hit back early in the second half through Takahiro Kunimoto. But Lee Dong-gyeong’s goal after 101 minutes sealed the victory for Ulsan. The South Korean side will now face the Pohang Steelers in Wednesday’s semifinal. The South Korean team defeated Japan’s Nagoya Grampus 3-0 in the first leg, but fell behind when Noorollahi’s clumsy tackle on Yoon allowed Negrao to score from the spot.
Despite being a top side in the Asian Champions League, Sydney FC have suffered two defeats in as many matches this year. Ulsan have not been successful at home in the last few seasons and have not won a K-League title since 2012. They also have not won a continental trophy since 1993. The West Region, which is comprised of 25 associations from three countries, is suffering from the flu pandemic, and will be spared international travel due to the onset of the virus.
Johor Darul Ta’zim
After dominating the domestic league for over a decade, Johor Darul Ta’zim set their sights on the Asian Champions League in 2020. As the most prestigious club competition in Asia, the AFC Champions League is an ideal stage for the Malaysian club. While their first taste of the competition was in the group stage of the tournament, the Malaysian club was prevented from progressing by a coronavirus pandemic.
In their last game, Johor Darul Ta’zim were beaten by Bangkok Glass FC. Johor Darul Ta’zim coach Bojan Hodak tinkered with the starting eleven due to injuries to Luciano Figueroa, Aidil Zafuan and Amri Yahyah. The Malaysian side will play against the South Korean club in the second round of the competition.
The club’s entry to the ACL is a significant achievement. After qualifying from the Asian Club Championship (ACL) last year, Johor Darul Ta’zim has become the first Malaysian side to qualify. They have also developed strategic partnerships with the likes of Valencia and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. With the support of Tunku Ismail and his staff, JDT has cultivated relationships with some of the world’s biggest names in the sport. Currently, the team has signed young players from the region for development.
Johor Darul Takzim
In 2000, Johor FC became the first club from outside of the state football league system to enter the Malaysia Cup, and were led by English manager Bruce Stowell. Johor subsequently defeated ATM in their second-round group qualifying tie, and also participated in the 2009 AFC Cup, replacing Negeri Sembilan, who had qualified but failed to compete. The club has since been promoted to the Malaysia Super League and is currently ranked eighth in the country.
In the first leg of the competition, Johor Darul Ta’zim lost to Gamba Osaka. In the second leg, Johor Darul Takzim came within a goal of doubling their lead. But Safiq Rahim’s long-range effort went over the bar and Safiwi Rashid’s curling effort was just wide of the target. In the next round, Johor Darul Takzim will play Pohang Steelers of the Korea Republic, while Ratchaburi will face Nagoya Grampus of Japan.
In the opening round, Johor Darul Takzim struggled to gain control of the game. They were unable to maintain a high level of dominance in the early stages, and were lucky to receive direct entry to the competition. They will be grouped with Guangzhou FC, the eight-time winner of the Chinese Super League, Kawasaki Frontale, and Ulsan Hyundai, a team that also reached the Champions League last year.
Source : bein match
