Saudi giants Al Hilal progressed to the knockout phase of the AFC Champions League but Qatar’s Al Rayyan must wait after suffering one of their worst drubbings in recent memory on Monday. Al Hilal picked up a valuable point following a goalless draw against Iran’s Persepolis that secured them a top two finish in Group … Read more
Australia’s Brisbane Roar kept their Asian Champions League hopes flickering with a 2-1 win over Japanese champions Kashima Antlers in Brisbane on Wednesday. Goals from striker Jamie Maclaren and midfielder Brett Holman gave Brisbane a 2-0 lead before Kashima pulled a goal back near the end. It was Brisbane’s first win of the campaign and … Read more
Big-money midfielder Oscar missed a second-half penalty as Andre Villas-Boas’s Shanghai SIPG lost 1-0 to Urawa Red Diamonds in their first defeat of this year’s AFC Champions League on Tuesday. After SIPG went behind to Rafael Silva’s 44th-minute strike, 60-million-euro signing Oscar looked set to maintain SIPG’s unbeaten record in Group F when he won … Read more
Iran’s Esteghlal FC have been fined $51,000 after fans flashed laser beams at opposing players and referees during AFC Champions League games, Asia’s football body said on Wednesday. Esteghlal supporters flashed lasers during their Champions qualifier against Al Sadd in February, and again in their group stage game against Uzbekistan’s PFC Lokomotiv, the Asian Football … Read more
Chinese fans and state-run media heaped praise on coach Marcello Lippi on Friday after a stunning win over South Korea kept their World Cup qualifying campaign alive. “Thanks Lippi,” gushed state broadcaster CCTV, after China climbed off the bottom of Group A following Thursday’s 1-0 victory in Changsha. Lippi, who led Italy to the 2006 … Read more
Former Chelsea midfielder Ramires scored the goal that kept China’s big-spending Jiangsu Suning on top of their AFC Champions League group with a 1-0 win at Japan’s Gamba Osaka on Wednesday. The Brazilian midfielder, who cost Jiangsu 28 million euros from the London club in January 2016, struck a gorgeous finish with his left foot … Read more
Kawasaki Frontale captain Yu Kobayashi coolly chipped home a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time to grab a richly deserved 1-1 draw at Guangzhou Evergrande on Tuesday in the AFC Champions League. The Japanese side laid siege to the two-time Asian champions’ goalmouth after the prolific Brazilian striker Alan put the home side … Read more
Carlos Tevez scored on his Chinese Super League debut for Shanghai Shenhua as he started repaying wages that have reportedly made him the world’s best-paid player. The former Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus striker struck from the penalty spot and had a hand in two others as Gus Poyet’s team beat Jiangsu Suning 4-0 … Read more
The Chinese Super League will take another step towards global recognition when it returns this week, boasting some of the world’s best-paid players and a growing audience including live broadcasts in Britain. When Argentina’s Carlos Tevez makes his league debut for Shanghai Shenhua, fans from Liaoning to Liverpool can tune in to see what can … Read more
Wednesday 22 February 2017 will be a special day for the Asian Football Confederation (the organisers of the AFC Champions League), reigning Hong Kong champions Eastern Long Lions and their coach Chan Yuen Ting. It is a day that will see Eastern make their first appearance in the prestigious continental competition since it was revamped, … Read more
Brazilian forward Hulk blasted Shanghai SIPG to a 1-0 victory over FC Seoul but the big-spending Chinese giants needed to survive a penalty and a red card before winning their AFC Champions League opener on Tuesday. Hulk’s rocket of a strike on 53 minutes got Andre Villas-Boas’s team off to a winning start in Group … Read more
Hong Kong’s Chan Yuen-ting will smash another hole through football’s glass ceiling when she makes history in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday — but it couldn’t be a tougher debut for the trailblazing female coach. Chan, nicknamed “Beef Ball” and just 28 years old, will etch her name in the record books as the … Read more
Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande have announced plans to field a Chinese-only squad by 2020, official media said on Tuesday, in a surprise turnaround after years of success based on big-money foreign signings. Evergrande have won the Chinese Super League for the last six season, plus the AFC Champions League in 2013 and 2015, with the … Read more
Shanghai SIPG coach Andre Villas-Boas on Monday said his team must deliver silverware after the club spent big pre-season including their high-profile signing of Oscar. SIPG begin their AFC Champions League campaign next week after Oscar, their 60-million-euro signing from Chelsea, helped them reach the group stage with a goal on debut in the play-offs. … Read more
Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has tipped his former teammate at Al Ain Omar Abdulrahman for a transfer to Europe after the playmaker was named the 2016 AFC Player of the Year. Abdulrahman, 25, beat another teammate of Gyan’s at Shanghai SIPG China winger Wu Lei and Iraq striker Hammadi Ahmed to the honour at … Read more
The battles for the thirty-one spots for the World Soccer cup finals in Russia in 2018 has been underway for some time. The struggle for Europe’s places have been predictable. The big teams are playing big, with occasional hiccups and England, as usual, is flattering to deceive. Except for 1966, when it delivered as host, … Read more
The FIFA Club World Cup trophy is touring China to promote the tournament, which will be held in Yokohama and Osaka, Japan, from December 8-18. “China’s passion for football is growing,” said Philippe Le Floc’h, FIFA Chief Commecial Officer. “I’m sure Chinese fans will enjoy it (trophy tour) and feel even more connected to the … Read more
Marcello Lippi, head coach of China’s national soccer team, reacts during the press conference for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian Zone Qualifiers against Qatar at Tuodong Sports Stadium in Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, on Nov. 14, 2016. (Xinhua/Lin Yiguang) Marcello Lippi starts mission almost-impossible today as he bids to take China … Read more
Asamoah Gyan was given a real treat by Al Ain on his return from his international assignment with Ghana to celebrate his feat as the club’s top scorer for the month of August. The Black Stars captain was presented with an honorary cake and other gifts by club officials for scoring more goals than any … Read more
Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan scored to help Al Ain into the semi finals of the Asian Champions League with a 3-1 win at Al Ittihad on Tuesday night. The UAE giants proved too good on the night to finish off the tie on a 5-1 aggregate scoreline. The Black Stars captain scored the equalizer for … Read more