2008 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
Dates12 March - 12 November 2008
Teams29
Final positions
ChampionsJapan Gamba Osaka (1st title)
Runners-upAustralia Adelaide United
Tournament statistics
Matches played98
Goals scored275 (2.81 per match)
Top scorer(s)Thailand Nantawat Thansopa
(9 goals)
Best player(s)Japan Yasuhito Endō

The 2008 AFC Champions League was the 27th AFC Champions League, the top-level Asian club football tournament, and the 6th under the current AFC Champions League title. It was the last AFC Champions League before the competition expanded to 32 teams.

Format

Group stage

A total of 28 clubs were divided into seven groups of four, based on region, i.e. East Asian and Southeast Asian clubs were drawn in groups E to G, while the rest were grouped in groups A to D. Each club played double round-robin (home and away) against the other three teams in their group, a total of 6 matches each. Clubs received three points for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a loss. The clubs were ranked according to points and tie breakers were in the following order:

  • Points earned between the clubs in question
  • Goal difference between the clubs in question
  • Goal difference within the group
  • Goals for within the group

The seven group winners and the defending champion advanced to the quarter-finals.

Knockout stage

All eight clubs were randomly paired together, with the restriction that clubs from the same country could not face each other in the quarter-finals. The games were played over two legs, home and away; the team with the higher aggregate score was declared the match winner. If the aggregate score could not produce a winner, "away goals rule" was used. If the two teams were still tied, extra time was played, at the end of which the "away goals rule" was again applied if the scores were tied. If still tied, the game would go to penalties.

Schedule

Group stage draw - 12 December 2007
  • Group round: 12–19 March, 9–23 April, 7–21 May
Knockout stage draw - 24 May 2008
  • Quarter-finals: 17–24 September
  • Semi-finals: 8–22 October
  • Final: 5 and 12 November

Participating clubs

Indonesia were initially allocated two entries as per previous years. However, on 12 December 2007, the AFC awarded one to Thailand and the other one to Vietnam because the Indonesian domestic league and cup tournament wouldn't be completed in time for the start of the tournament. Both Thailand and Vietnam therefore effectively recovered the entries they had lost the previous year.

West Asia East Asia
Quarter-finals
Team Qualifying method Team Qualifying method
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds Defending champions
Group Stage
Team Qualifying method Team Qualifying method
Iran Saipa 2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup champions Australia Melbourne Victory 2006–07 A-League premiers &
2007 A-League Grand Final winners
Iran Sepahan 2006–07 Hazfi Cup winners Australia Adelaide United 2006–07 A-League regular season runners-up
Iraq Erbil SC 2006–07 Iraqi Premier League champions China Changchun Yatai 2007 Chinese Super League champions
Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2006–07 Iraqi Premier League runners-up China Beijing Guoan 2007 Chinese Super League runners-up
Kuwait Kuwait SC 2006–07 Kuwaiti Premier League champions Japan Kashima Antlers 2007 J.League Division 1 champions &
2007 Emperor's Cup winners
Kuwait Al Qadisiya 2007 Kuwait Emir Cup winners Japan Gamba Osaka 2006 J.League Division 1 third-place[Note JPN]
Qatar Al Sadd 2006–07 Qatar Stars League champions &
2006–07 Emir of Qatar Cup winners		 South Korea Pohang Steelers 2007 K League champions
Qatar Al-Gharafa 2006–07 Qatar Stars League runners-up South Korea Chunnam Dragons 2007 Korean FA Cup winners
Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 2006–07 Saudi Premier League champions Thailand Chonburi FC 2007 Thailand Premier League champions
Saudi Arabia Al Ahli 2006–07 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners Thailand Krung Thai Bank FC 2007 Thailand Premier League runners-up
Syria Al-Karamah 2006–07 Syrian Premier League champions &
2006–07 Syrian Cup winners		 Vietnam Bình Dương 2007 V-League champions
Syria Al-Ittihad 2006–07 Syrian Premier League runners-up Vietnam Nam Định 2007 Vietnamese Cup winners
United Arab Emirates Al Wasl 2006–07 UAE Football League champions &
2006–07 UAE President's Cup winners
United Arab Emirates Al Wahda 2006–07 UAE Football League runners-up
Uzbekistan Pakhtakor 2007 Uzbek League champions &
2007 Uzbekistan Cup winners
Uzbekistan FC Bunyodkor 2007 Uzbek League runners-up
Notes
    1. ^
      Japan (JPN): 2007 J.League Division 1 runners-up, Urawa Red Diamonds, had already qualified for the AFC Champions League as defending champions.

    Group stage

    Group A

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 6 4 1 1 8 2 +6 13
    Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 6 3 0 3 6 5 +1 9
    Iran Sepahan 6 2 1 3 5 8 −3 7
    Syria Al-Ittihad 6 2 0 4 4 8 −4 6
    Source:
    Sepahan Iran0–2Syria Al-Ittihad
    Report Jésus Gomez 21'
    Al Agha 87'
    Attendance: 15,000
    Bunyodkor Uzbekistan2–0Iran Sepahan
    Bakayev 61'
    Kapadze 80'    		 Report
    Attendance: 13,000
    Referee: Fareed Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates)
    Al-Ittihad Syria0–2Uzbekistan Bunyodkor
    Report Hasanov 50'
    Kapadze 65'
    Attendance: 20,000
    Sepahan Iran2–1Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad
    Seyed Salehi 59'
    Aghily 71'    		 Report Al-Meshal 89'
    Attendance: 6,000
    Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
    Bunyodkor Uzbekistan1–0Syria Al-Ittihad
    Kapadze 29' Report
    Attendance: 12,000
    Al-Ittihad Syria2–1Iran Sepahan
    Laurens 61'
    Jésus Gomez 64'    		 Report Aghily 48'
    Attendance: 4,000
    Referee: Naser Al Ghafary (Jordan)
    Bunyodkor Uzbekistan2–0Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad
    Soliev 10'
    Djeparov 38'    		 Report
    Attendance: 13,000
    Sepahan Iran1–1Uzbekistan Bunyodkor
    Ali Mohammadi 2' Report Gochguliev 72'
    Attendance: 150

    Group B

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Iran Saipa 6 3 3 0 7 3 +4 12
    Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 6 2 2 2 5 5 0 8
    United Arab Emirates Al Wasl 6 2 1 3 5 7 −2 7
    Kuwait Al Kuwait 6 1 2 3 4 6 −2 5
    Source:
    Al Wasl United Arab Emirates0–1Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
    Report Alwan 32'
    Attendance: 7,500
    Al Kuwait Kuwait1–1Iran Saipa
    Ajab 44' Report Zaynadpour 66'
    Attendance: 7,000
    Saipa Iran2–0United Arab Emirates Al Wasl
    Traoré 45'
    Ansarifard 57'    		 Report
    Attendance: 8,000
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Iraq0–1Iran Saipa
    Report Vaziri 45+1'
    Attendance: 1,000
    Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
    Al Wasl United Arab Emirates1–0Kuwait Al Kuwait
    Hassan 75' Report
    Attendance: 4,622
    Saipa Iran1–1Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
    Rahmati 63' (pen.) Report Ayad 71'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Al Kuwait Kuwait2–1United Arab Emirates Al Wasl
    Ajab 10'
    Al Awadhi 42'    		 Report Ali 4' (pen.)
    Attendance: 1,500
    Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)
    Saipa Iran1–0Kuwait Al Kuwait
    Rahmati 24' Report
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
    Al Wasl United Arab Emirates1–1Iran Saipa
    André Dias 90+2' Report Traoré 21'
    Attendance: 1,500

    Group C

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Syria Al-Karamah 6 3 2 1 8 3 +5 11
    United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 6 2 3 1 6 7 −1 9
    Qatar Al-Sadd 6 1 3 2 6 8 −2 6
    Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 6 0 4 2 5 7 −2 4
    Source:
    Al-Sadd Qatar2–1Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli
    Emerson 6'
    Felipe 26'    		 Report Val Baiano 73'
    Attendance: 6,000
    Al-Karamah Syria4–1United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
    Esmaeel 3'
    Chaabo 27', 48'
    Al Hamwi 80'    		 Report Al Shehhi 83'
    Attendance: 30,000
    Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia1–1Syria Al-Karamah
    Al Thagafi 15' Report Al Hamwi 44'
    Attendance: 15,000
    Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
    Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates2–2Qatar Al-Sadd
    Pinga 17'
    Al Shehhi 85'    		 Report Tenorio 44'
    Emerson 71'
    Attendance: 5,500
    Al-Sadd Qatar0–2Syria Al-Karamah
    Report Al Hamwi 69'
    Jenyat 73'
    Attendance: 6,000
    Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates2–1Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli
    Josiel 35', 84' Report Al Gizani 81'
    Attendance: 5,000
    Al-Karamah Syria1–0Qatar Al-Sadd
    Jenyat 78' Report
    Attendance: 25,000
    Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia2–2Qatar Al-Sadd
    Taher Zakaria 28' (o.g.)
    Sulimani 42' (pen.)    		 Report Gholam 32' (pen.)
    Ahmed 50'
    Attendance: 1,500
    Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates1–0Syria Al-Karamah
    Al Shehhi 90' Report
    Attendance: 6,000
    Referee: Kazuhiko Matsumura (Japan)
    Al-Sadd Qatar0–0United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
    Report
    Attendance: 800
    Al-Karamah Syria0–0Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli
    Report
    Attendance: 15,000

    Group D

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Kuwait Al Qadisiya 6 3 2 1 8 7 +1 11
    Uzbekistan Pakhtakor 6 3 2 1 13 6 +7 11
    Iraq Erbil 6 2 2 2 8 11 −3 8
    Qatar Al-Gharafa 6 0 2 4 3 8 −5 2
    Source:
    Pakhtakor Uzbekistan0–1Kuwait Al Qadisiya
    Report Ajab 90+1'
    Attendance: 12,000
    Erbil Iraq1–1Qatar Al-Gharafa
    Muslim Mubarak 61' Report Araújo 13'
    Attendance: 250
    Referee: Talaat Najm (Lebanon)
    Al-Gharafa Qatar2–2Uzbekistan Pakhtakor
    Mahmoud 57'
    Araújo 65'    		 Report Aliqulov 68'
    F. Tadjiyev 78'
    Attendance: 2,000
    Al Qadisiya Kuwait1–0Qatar Al-Gharafa
    Ajab 62' Report
    Attendance: 5,000
    Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)
    Pakhtakor Uzbekistan2–0Iraq Erbil
    Kholmatov 47'
    Geynrikh 52' (pen.)    		 Report
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Masoud Moradi (Iran)
    Al-Gharafa Qatar0–1Kuwait Al Qadisiya
    Report Al-Mutwa 89'
    Attendance: 1,000
    Erbil Iraq1–5Uzbekistan Pakhtakor
    Sabah 19' Report Siamand 38' (o.g.)
    Kuziboyev 69'
    Marković 73'
    Geynrikh 81'
    Kholmatov 90+3'
    Attendance: 180
    Referee: Mohamed Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates)
    Al Qadisiya Kuwait2–2Uzbekistan Pakhtakor
    Ajab 20'
    Al Salama 45' (pen.)    		 Report Ahmedov 36'
    Z. Tadjiyev 81'
    Attendance: 18000
    Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
    Al-Gharafa Qatar0–1Iraq Erbil
    Report Alwan 29'
    Attendance: 200
    Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
    Pakhtakor Uzbekistan2–0Qatar Al-Gharafa
    Z. Tadjiyev 19'
    Ahmedov 88' (pen.)    		 Report
    Attendance: 3,000
    Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)
    Erbil Iraq4–2Kuwait Al Qadisiya
    Salah 52', 70', 79'
    Alwan 89'    		 Report Al Shammari 23'
    Al-Kandri 34'
    Attendance: 120
    Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

    Group E

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Australia Adelaide United 6 4 2 0 9 2 +7 14
    China Changchun Yatai 6 3 3 0 10 3 +7 12
    South Korea Pohang Steelers 6 1 2 3 6 7 −1 5
    Vietnam Bình Dương 6 0 1 5 4 17 −13 1
    Source:
    Pohang Steelers South Korea0–2Australia Adelaide United
    Report Cornthwaite 3'
    Djite 59'
    Attendance: 8,436
    Referee: Mohsen Torky (Iran)
    Bình Dương Vietnam1–4South Korea Pohang Steelers
    Robson 11' (pen.) Report Denilson 49' (pen.), 58' (pen.)
    Kim Jae-sung 56'
    Choi Hyo-jin 64'
    Attendance: 12,000
    Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
    Adelaide United Australia0–0China Changchun Yatai
    Report
    Attendance: 10,510
    Bình Dương Vietnam1–2Australia Adelaide United
    Philani 85' Report Diego 10'
    Alagich 78'
    Attendance: 15,000
    Referee: Atallah Jatli Al Enezi (Kuwait)
    Adelaide United Australia4–1Vietnam Bình Dương
    Pantelis 56'
    Dodd 58', 62'
    Diego 77'    		 Report Phạm Minh Đức 65'
    Attendance: 13,802
    Referee: Mohamed Al Hilali (Oman)
    Pohang Steelers South Korea2–2China Changchun Yatai
    Hwang Jae-won 64'
    Hwang Jin-sung 90'    		 Report Wang Dong 35'
    Du Zhenyu 70'
    Attendance: 5,468
    Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)
    Pohang Steelers South Korea0–0Vietnam Bình Dương
    Report
    Attendance: 4,571
    Referee: Abdulrahman Recho (Syria)

    Group F

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Japan Kashima Antlers 6 5 0 1 28 3 +25 15
    China Beijing Guoan 6 4 0 2 14 9 +5 12
    Thailand Krung Thai Bank 6 2 1 3 20 27 −7 7
    Vietnam Nam Định 6 0 1 5 4 27 −23 1
    Source:
    Krung Thai Bank Thailand1–9Japan Kashima Antlers
    Kone 64' Report Tashiro 15', 50'
    Iwamasa 21'
    Nozawa 34', 90+2'
    Marquinhos 47', 69', 71'
    Sasaki 73'
    Attendance: 2,000
    Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
    Nam Dinh Vietnam1–3China Beijing Guoan
    Lê Văn Duyệt 14' Report Yan Xiangchuang 57', 90+1'
    Du Wenhui 60'
    Attendance: 600
    Kashima Antlers Japan6–0Vietnam Nam Dinh
    Motoyama 25', 48'
    Marquinhos 58', 67'
    Tashiro 73'
    Danilo 90+2'    		 Report
    Attendance: 7,087
    Referee: Mohamad Mansour (Lebanon)
    Beijing Guoan China4–2Thailand Krung Thai Bank
    Du Wenhui 39', 73'
    Martínez 51', 75'    		 Report Thansopa 58'
    Pichitchotirat 63'
    Attendance: 14,000
    Referee: Atallah Jatli (Kuwait)
    Kashima Antlers Japan1–0China Beijing Guoan
    Danilo 52' Report
    Attendance: 6,487
    Referee: Mohsen Torky (Iran)
    Krung Thai Bank Thailand9–1Vietnam Nam Dinh
    Kone 4', 44', 90+1', 90+2'
    Thansopa 8', 46', 59'
    Choeichiu 64'
    Wongsuparuk 70'    		 Report Trần Đức Dương 64'
    Attendance: 500
    Referee: Hedayat Mombeni (Iran)
    Nam Dinh Vietnam2–2Thailand Krung Thai Bank
    Hoàng Ngọc Linh 2', 47' Report Thansopa 21'
    Choeichiu 90'
    Attendance: 2,000
    Referee: Mohammad Dharman (Qatar)
    Beijing Guoan China3–0Vietnam Nam Dinh
    Guo Hui 14' (pen.)
    Yang Hao 32', 78'    		 Report
    Attendance: 9,000
    Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)
    Krung Thai Bank Thailand5–3China Beijing Guoan
    Thansopa 10', 44', 49', 69' (pen.)
    Pichitchotirat 27'    		 Report Tiago 67' (pen.), 70', 77' (pen.)
    Attendance: 400
    Referee: Fareed Ali Mohamed Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates)
    Nam Dinh Vietnam0–4Japan Kashima Antlers
    Report Tashiro 27'
    Koroki 47'
    Motoyama 75'
    Danilo 87'
    Attendance: 1,200
    Referee: Mohamed Omar Al Saeedi (United Arab Emirates)
    Notes

    Group G

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Japan Gamba Osaka 6 4 2 0 14 8 +6 14
    Australia Melbourne Victory 6 2 1 3 10 11 −1 7
    South Korea Chunnam Dragons 6 1 3 2 8 10 −2 6
    Thailand Chonburi 6 1 2 3 7 10 −3 5
    Source:
    Melbourne Victory Australia2–0South Korea Chunnam Dragons
    Muscat 28' (pen.)
    Vargas 66'    		 Report
    Attendance: 24,656
    Gamba Osaka Japan1–1Thailand Chonburi
    Lucas 90+4' Report Sunthornpit 59'
    Attendance: 7,000
    Referee: Hedayat Mombeni (Iran)
    Chunnam Dragons South Korea3–4Japan Gamba Osaka
    Simões 4'
    Kim Tae-su 27', 60' (pen.)    		 Report Futagawa 30'
    Bando 53', 75'
    Yasuda 58'
    Attendance: 3,000
    Chonburi Thailand3–1Australia Melbourne Victory
    Ney Fabiano 45'
    Baga 79', 90+5'    		 Report Allsopp 57'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)
    Chunnam Dragons South Korea1–0Thailand Chonburi
    Simões 90' Report
    Attendance: 500
    Melbourne Victory Australia3–4Japan Gamba Osaka
    Allsopp 4', 65'
    Vargas 41'    		 Report Futagawa 31'
    Baré 38'
    Yamaguchi 68'
    Lucas 89'
    Attendance: 26,857
    Chonburi Thailand2–2South Korea Chunnam Dragons
    On-Mo 56'
    Jinta 88'    		 Report Jeong Jun-yeon 5'
    Kim Myung-woon 48'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Tan Hai (China)
    Chonburi Thailand0–2Japan Gamba Osaka
    Report Yamazaki 64'
    Lucas 76'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Melbourne Victory Australia3–1Thailand Chonburi
    Muscat 56'
    Thompson 65'
    Hernández 77'    		 Report Ney Fabiano 55'
    Attendance: 14,558
    Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
    Gamba Osaka Japan1–1South Korea Chunnam Dragons
    Futagawa 75' Report Yoo Hong-youl 86' (pen.)
    Attendance: 7,160
    Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
    Notes

    Knock-out stage

    Bracket

    Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                   
    1 Syria Al-Karamah 1 0 1
    8 Japan Gamba Osaka 2 2 4
    Japan Gamba Osaka 1 3 4
    Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1 1 2
    4 Kuwait Al Qadisiya 3 0 3
    5 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds (2007 Champion) 2 2 4
    Japan Gamba Osaka 3 2 5
    Australia Adelaide United 0 0 0
    3 Japan Kashima Antlers 1 0 1
    6 Australia Adelaide United 1 1 2
    Australia Adelaide United 3 0 3
    Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 0 1 1
    2 Iran Saipa 2 1 3
    7 Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 2 5 7

    Quarter-finals

    The first leg matches were played on 17 September, and the second leg matches were played on 24 September 2008.

    Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
    Al-Karamah Syria 1–4 Japan Gamba Osaka 1–2 0–2
    Al Qadisiya Kuwait 3–4 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
    (2007 Champion)    		 3–2 0–2
    Kashima Antlers Japan 1–2 Australia Adelaide United 1–1 0–1
    Saipa Iran 3–7 Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 2–2 1–5

    Semi-finals

    The first leg matches were played on 8 October, and the second leg matches were played on 22 October 2008.

    Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
    Gamba Osaka Japan 4–2 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1–1 3–1
    Adelaide United Australia 3–1 Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 3–0 0–1

    Final

    The first and second legs of the final were played on 5 and 12 November 2008, respectively.

    Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
    Gamba Osaka Japan 5–0 Australia Adelaide United 3–0 2–0

    Top scorers

    The top scorers from the 2008 AFC Champions League are as follows:

    Rank Player Club Goals
    1 Thailand Nantawat Thansopa Thailand Krung Thai Bank 9
    2 Brazil Lucas Japan Gamba Osaka 6
    3 Brazil Marquinhos Japan Kashima Antlers 5
    Japan Masato Yamazaki Japan Gamba Osaka
    Ivory Coast Kone Kassim Thailand Krung Thai Bank
    Japan Yuzo Tashiro Japan Kashima Antlers
    Brazil Danilo Japan Kashima Antlers
    8 Japan Takuya Nozawa Japan Kashima Antlers 4
    Brazil Tiago China Beijing Guoan
    Chile Villanueva Uzbekistan Bunyodkor
    Brazil Diego Walsh Australia Adelaide United

    Fair Play Award

    Japan Gamba Osaka

    See also

    References

      This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.