ZOBAHAN LOOK TO CONTINUE CONTINENTAL CHARGE

Coach Yahya Golmohammadi believes former finalists Zobahan can maintain their winning ways in their second Group B meeting with Qatar champions Lekhwiya in the AFC Champions League on Tuesday.

On their return to the continental competition last Tuesday after a five year absence, Mahdi Rajabzadeh scored in the first minute of the second half at Abdulla Bin Khalifa Stadium as Golmohammdi’s side recorded a 1-0 win over Lekhwiya in Doha.

And with all three Iranian teams proving successful on Matchday One, Golmohammadi is looking for more of the same when Zobahan play host to Lekhwiya at Foolad Shahr Stadium in the return meeting in Isfahan.

“This was the best possible start that we could thing of because winning against Lekhwiya is not easy and I’m happy with the performance of the players,” said Golmohammadi following the win over Lekhwiya.

“Winning the away match will give us a big push and hopefully we can maintain this advantage in the next match.”

Also on Group B on Tuesday, Bunyodkor entertain Saudi Arabian champions Al Nassr after the sides shared a thoroughly entertaining 3-3 draw in Riyadh on Matchday One.

AFC Young Player of the Year Dostonbek Khamdamov scored twice, but a late free-kick from veteran Hussain Abdulghani rescued a point for Al Nassr.

Elsewhere, Korea Republic’s FC Seoul will look to continue the form they showed in their eye-catching 6-0 win over Buriram United as they entertain Japanese champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Group F, while the Thai champions will hope to bounce back away to Shandong Luneng in China.

Buriram will, however, be without Suchao Nutnum after the captain was sent-off against FC Seoul and there is fitness doubts around striker Diogo.

“Before we lost Diogo, I think we played well. But after he got injured, our game was messed up so we changed our tactics, but it didn't work,” said Buriram coach Alexandre Gama after the Brazilian was substituted after just 17 minutes.

“We also conceded goals and got a red card. This totally changed our game and made us play harder.

“So from now on, we have to start again and come back to fight. We still have a long way to go. We will do our best.”

Also in the East, Group E’s early pace-setters Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will aim to build on a solid start to their campaign as the K-League Classic champions travel to China to face Jiangsu FC after their opening 2-1 win over FC Tokyo, while the Japanese capital city club will host Vietnamese champions Becamex Binh Duong.

Binh Duong, though, will be without Cameroon striker Christian Amougou after the forward was sent-off in the 1-1 draw with Jiangsu.

Finally in Group A, Iranian champions Sepahan will look to the double over Al Nasr of the United Arab Emirates when they travel to Dubai after their 2-0 win in Isfahan last Tuesday, while Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad will be aiming to get their first win of the AFC Champions League campaign when they host Lokomotiv of Uzbekistan.

Al Ittihad, though, will be without striker Fahad Al Muwallad, while Lokomotiv’s Jasur Khasanov is also ruled out through suspension after the pair were both sent-off in the closing stages of last Tuesday’s 1-1 draw in Tashkent.

ACL , Football , Sports

ZOBAHAN LOOK TO CONTINUE CONTINENTAL CHARGE

Admin Sunday, 28 February 2016

FC SEOUL HIT BURIRAM FOR SIX IN CONTINENTAL OPENER

Former finalists FC Seoul sounded an early warning to their continental rivals with a dominant 6-0 win over Thailand champions Buriram United as the AFC Champions League retuned this week, while defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande were held to a goalless draw by Pohang Steelers.

Brazilian Adriano scored four times at Buriram Stadium, with Dejan Damjanovic and substitute Lee Seok-hyun adding further goals, as the 2013 runners-up eased to victory in Thailand.

And the side from the Korea Republic capital were joined at the top of Group F by China’s Shandong Luneng after Yang Xu and Diego Tardelli scored to secure a 2-1 win over Japanese champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

“Even though this is the first game of our season, we are happy to score many goals which make us feel very confident,” said FC Seoul coach Choi Yong-soo.

“The co-ordination between Adriano and Dejan was very good. They give us confidence.”

Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Guangzhou, meanwhile, were unable to get the better of another K-League side in the form of three-time Asian champions Pohang and were forced to settle for a goalless stalemate at Tianhe Sport Centre.

Instead, it is Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds who are the early Group H leaders after Yuki Muto and Shinzo Koroki netted to secure a 2-0 win over A-League side Sydney FC.

“This is a fair result. We were short of some good match tempo and we haven't reached where we were last year. We went to Dubai for winter training, but ended up with only one training match. Now we are having some difficulties, but this game is within my expectations. What we were missing was one goal,” said Guangzhou coach Scolari.

 “We are still two or three matches away from having the right season vibe back.”

Also on Wednesday, Iran’s Tractorsazi Tabriz were the third of three Iranian clubs to secure an opening day win as they beat Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates 4-0 to leap to the top of Group C ahead of two-time Asian champions Al Hilal and Uzbek League winners Pakhtakor after the pair shared a 2-2 draw.

Elsewhere, goals from Jai Ingham and Besart Berisha saw Australian champions Melbourne Victory edge out Chinese Super League runners-up Shanghai SIPG 2-1 at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in Group G, while Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Gamba Osaka shared a goalless draw.

Also in the East, 2006 winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors beat Japan’s FC 2-1 to take an early lead in Group E, while the meeting between Chinese FA Cup winners Jiangsu FC and Vietnamese champions Becamex Binh Duong ended in a 1-1 draw.

Iran’s Zobahan celebrated their return to the AFC Champions League after a five-year absence with a 1-0 win over Qatar champions Lekhwiya to become Group B front-runners.

And also in Group B, Saudi Arabia Professional League winners Al Nassr salvaged a 3-3 draw with visitors Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan thanks to a late equaliser from Hussein Abdulghani.

In Group A, Iranian champions Sepahan defeated Emirati side Al Nasr 2-0 in Isfahan, while the group’s earlier fixture in Tashkent saw two-time AFC Champions League winners Al Ittihad draw 1-1 with Lokomotiv.

Finally in Group D, Omar Al Soma scored with a header early in the second half to seal a 2-1 win for Al Ahli over Uzbekistan’s Nasaf.

But there was disappointment for 2003 champions Al Ain, who succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Qatar Stars League side El Jaish.

ACL , Football , Sports

FC SEOUL HIT BURIRAM FOR SIX IN CONTINENTAL OPENER

Admin Thursday, 25 February 2016

POHANG OPENER FOR CHAMPIONS GUANGZHOU

Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande begin the defence of their AFC Champions League title on Wednesday with Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side looking to join opening round opponents Pohang Steelers from Korea Republic as the only three-time continental champions.

Guangzhou followed up their 2013 triumph over Korea’s FC Seoul with a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate win over Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates at the end of last year.

Brazilian coach Scolari has lost compatriot Elkeson who scored the decisive goal in both final successes, although Guangzhou recruited Colombian Jackson Martinez ahead of the start of the new season with the remainder of the squad remaining largely unchanged.

Guangzhou have yet to start their domestic season having won a fifth consecutive Super League title last year, and while the K-League Classic season has also not started, opponents Pohang did beat Vietnam’s Hanoi T&T in the AFC Champions League play-offs earlier this month.

To date, Pohang are the only side to be crowned continental champions three times having won the Asian Club Championship in 1997 and 1998 before winning the 2009 AFC Champions League. 

“We can improve, but this was a good result for us,” said Pohang coach Choi Jin-cheul after Shim Dong-woon’s hat-trick secured victory over Hanoi.

“We are now looking forward to the group stage. We know it will not be easy, but we are looking forward to the challenge.”

Also in Group H on Wednesday, Australia’s Sydney FC travel to Japan to face 2007 AFC Champions League winners Urawa Red Diamonds.

And in Group G, fellow A-League side Melbourne Victory entertain China’s Shanghai SIPG, while 2008 AFC Champions League winners Gamba Osaka from Japan travel to Korea to face two-time Asian Club Championship winners Suwon Samsung Bluewings.

In the West on Wednesday, two-time Asian Club Championship winners Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia travel to Uzbekistan to face domestic champions Pakhtakor in Group C, while play-off winners Al Jazira from the UAE make the trip to Iran to face Tractorsazi Tabriz.

Saudi Arabian King Cup winners Al Hilal, who won the Asian Club Championship in 1992 and 2000, again produced a strong showing in the AFC Champions League last year by reaching the semi-finals having lost the 2014 final to Australia’s Western Sydney Wanderers.

Al Jazira, meanwhile, earned a seventh AFC Champions League appearance after edging out Qatar’s Al Sadd on penalties in the play-offs earlier this month following a 2-2 draw after extra-time.

“I want to thank the players for the great effort they made tonight as they were determined to win and we achieved what we were looking for. The match was not easy, but we were better and deserved to win," said Al Jazira coach Henk Ten Cate following the win over Al Sadd.

"We will celebrate tonight, but we should start preparing for the group stage.”

Finally in Group D, inaugural AFC Champions League winners Al Ain from the UAE entertain Qatar’s El Jaish, who also advanced from the play-offs after beating Naft Tehran in Iran, while Uzbekistan’s Nasaf travel to Saudi Arabia to face Al Ahli.

ACL , Football , Sports

POHANG OPENER FOR CHAMPIONS GUANGZHOU

Admin Monday, 22 February 2016