https://www.scmp.com/rss/322189/feed The AFC Asian Champions League is the top continental competition for soccer clubs in Asia. The reigning champions are China's Guangzhou Evergrande, aiming to make it three wins in a row this year and become the competition's joint most successful team. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Shanghai SIPG coach Andre Villas-Boas on Monday said his team must deliver silverware after the club spent big preseason including their high-profile signing of Oscar. SIPG begin their AFC Champions League campaign next week in South Korea against FC Seoul after Oscar, their €60 million (HK$496m) signing from Chelsea, helped them reach the group stage with a goal on his debut in the play-offs. The team finished third in the Chinese Super League last year, 12 points behind China’s dominant team,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2070436/andre-villas-boas-promises-shanghai-sipg-president-return-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2070436/andre-villas-boas-promises-shanghai-sipg-president-return-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Feb 2017 09:33:27 +0000 China’s big-spending Shanghai Shenhua, spearheaded by high-profile new signing Carlos Tevez, apologised to fans after being dumped out of Asia’s top club competition by Australian side Brisbane Roar on Wednesday. Shanghai Shenhua, who are managed by Uruguayan Gus Poyet and who also have Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins on their books, were beaten 2-0 in chilly conditions in Shanghai in their AFC Champions League play-off. “For the shame of today’s result, we offer a sincere apology to all those... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2069460/chinas-shanghai-shenhua-apologise-after-failing-make-afc-champions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2069460/chinas-shanghai-shenhua-apologise-after-failing-make-afc-champions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Feb 2017 06:31:51 +0000 Hong Kong Premier League champions Eastern will face Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale along with Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande and South Korea’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the group stage of the 2017 AFC Champions League after Kashima Antlers’ Emperor’s Cup final win on Sunday confirmed the line-up for group F of the continental showpiece. Last month’s draw in Kuala Lumpur handed Chan Yuen-ting’s charges meetings with Guangzhou and Suwon, but their third opponent for their AFC Champions League... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2058534/eastern-handed-kawasaki-frontale-test-afc-champions-league-group?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2058534/eastern-handed-kawasaki-frontale-test-afc-champions-league-group?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jan 2017 09:10:43 +0000 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were crowned the 2016 AFC Champions League winners on Saturday night as a 1-1 draw with inaugural champions Al Ain earned Choi Kang-hee’s side a 3-2 aggregate victory and a place at December’s finals of the Fifa Club World Cup. Han Kyo-won gave Jeonbuk the lead on the night, and extended the K League Classic side’s advantage following their 2-1 first leg win, in the 30th minute before Lee Myung-joo levelled for Al Ain four minutes later. But a missed penalty by Brazilian... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2049511/south-koreas-jeonbuk-win-afc-champions-league-douglas-misses-penalty-al?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2049511/south-koreas-jeonbuk-win-afc-champions-league-douglas-misses-penalty-al?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Nov 2016 17:15:30 +0000 Brazilian forward Leonardo hit a blistering second-half double as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors came from behind to beat Al Ain 2-1 and grab the initiative in the two-legged AFC Champions League final. The mohican-sporting frontman grabbed his ninth and 10th goals of the competition to outshine Al Ain hotshot Omar Abdulrahman and put Jeonbuk in the driving seat ahead of next week’s second leg. Top-rated Abdulrahman, nicknamed “Amoory”, delivered a sublime assist for Danilo Asprilla’s second-half opener... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2047576/best-mohicans-leonardo-takes-charge-jeonbuk-2-1-first-leg-afc-champions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2047576/best-mohicans-leonardo-takes-charge-jeonbuk-2-1-first-leg-afc-champions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Nov 2016 13:06:57 +0000 UAE giants Al Ain progressed to the final of the AFC Champions League at the expense of Qatar’s El Jaish after a 2-2 draw in their semi-final second leg in Doha ensured a 5-3 aggregate victory on Tuesday. El Jaish needed to raise their game a few notches to overcome a two-goal deficit following their 3-1 defeat in the first leg, but despite Brazilian Romarinho’s double the Emirati giants held their nerve to clinch a last-gasp draw with Mohamed Abdulrahman finding the net in the fifth minute of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2029339/al-ain-seal-asian-champions-league-final-berth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2029339/al-ain-seal-asian-champions-league-final-berth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Oct 2016 01:18:07 +0000 This was the season that Chinese football exploded on to the world’s consciousness, but on a regional level it is not the year that a new Super League team wins the AFC Champions League and keeps the trophy in China. Last week in the quarter-finals the remaining Chinese teams bowed out as Sven Goran Eriksson’s Shanghai SIPG were humbled 5-0 in South Korea by Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to exit after losing by the same scoreline on aggregate. Back in China, Shandong Luneng held South Korea’s FC Seoul... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2020677/golden-goose-guanghzou-evergrandes-domestic-dominance-hurting-china-afc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2020677/golden-goose-guanghzou-evergrandes-domestic-dominance-hurting-china-afc?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Sep 2016 11:15:45 +0000 Felix Magath said Shandong Luneng “defended the honour of Chinese football” in their battling defeat to FC Seoul, which ended Chinese interest in the AFC Champions League. Shandong, 3-1 down after the quarter-final’s first leg, dominated the return game in Jinan, which they drew 1-1 on Wednesday to exit with their pride intact. It came a day after Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Shanghai SIPG were smashed 5-0 by Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, ensuring an all-Korean semi-final later this month. However, the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2019690/we-defended-chinese-honour-says-felix-magath-his-shandong-luneng-side?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2019690/we-defended-chinese-honour-says-felix-magath-his-shandong-luneng-side?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Sep 2016 08:24:31 +0000 FC Seoul sent Felix Magath’s Shandong Luneng crashing out of the AFC Champions League, ending Chinese interest in the competition as they powered into the semi-finals on Wednesday. Substitute Yun Ju-tae provided the coup de grace on 83 minutes, sealing a 1-1 draw in the second leg after Walter Montillo’s opener on 59 minutes had raised hopes among Shandong’s home fans. After Seoul won the first leg 3-1, they ran out 4-2 aggregate winners and completed another Korean victory over Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2019448/seoul-power-felix-magaths-shandong-luneng-sent-crashing-out-afc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2019448/seoul-power-felix-magaths-shandong-luneng-sent-crashing-out-afc?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Sep 2016 15:39:20 +0000 Sven-Goran Eriksson said Shanghai SIPG “collapsed mentally” in their 5-0 thrashing by Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, but backed his team to redouble their efforts to return to the AFC Champions League next year. SIPG shipped five second half goals in their quarter-final second leg in Jeonju late on Tuesday to bring their promising debut campaign to a sudden halt. It leaves SIPG facing a scramble to return to the Asian competition next year as they currently lie fourth in the Chinese Super League and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2019351/learning-curve-sven-goran-eriksson-laments-shanghai-sipg-mental?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2019351/learning-curve-sven-goran-eriksson-laments-shanghai-sipg-mental?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Sep 2016 09:53:32 +0000 Leonardo and Lee Dong-gook both scored a brace as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors of South Korea produced a dominating second-half display at home to thrash Shanghai SIPG 5-0 on Tuesday night to march into the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League. Shanghai coach Sven-Goran Eriksson put a brave face on the hiding. “We played well in the first half against a strong team and I was proud of the players,” Eriksson said. WATCH: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors smash five past Shanghai SIPG “This is the first time... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2019050/shanghai-smashed-seven-goran-erikssons-side-crash-out-asian-champions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2019050/shanghai-smashed-seven-goran-erikssons-side-crash-out-asian-champions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Sep 2016 14:00:15 +0000 FC Seoul took a grip on their AFC Champions League quarter-final after overcoming Shandong Luneng 3-1 in the first leg in the Korean capital on Wednesday. Goals from Park Chu-young, Dejan Damjanovic and Brazilian top scorer Adriano gave them a deserved two-goal cushion to take to China for the second leg on September 14. Adriano had been dropped to the bench after a recent form slump despite 11 Champions League goals this campaign. Instead it was former Arsenal attacker Park who was preferred to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2008579/fc-seoul-control-after-3-1-win-over-shandong-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2008579/fc-seoul-control-after-3-1-win-over-shandong-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Aug 2016 14:28:20 +0000 China’s Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao must pay almost US$4 million in damages to automaker Dongfeng Nissan for failing to wear kit sponsored by the company, state media have said. The two-time AFC Champions League winners said they had received a ruling from Guangzhou Huadu District People’s Court to cough up 24,778,645 yuan (HK$29.3 million) in fines, the official Xinhua news agency said. Dongfeng Nissan, a joint venture between Japan’s Nissan Motors and China’s Dongfeng Motor Corporation... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1971676/guangzhou-evergrande-fined-hk29m-changing-sponsors-jersey-regional-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/1971676/guangzhou-evergrande-fined-hk29m-changing-sponsors-jersey-regional-final?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jun 2016 07:41:47 +0000 Substitute Hao Junmin’s last-minute rocket broke Sydney FC’s hearts and put China’s Shandong Luneng into the AFC Champions League quarter-finals after a sensational last-16 second leg on Wednesday. It took a great goal to beat us... all I can say is, these things happen in football Graham Arnold Goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic’s late penalty save – after he also stopped a spot-kick in the first leg – seemed to have earned 10-man Sydney their first appearance in Asia’s last eight. But with the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1954517/late-hao-junmin-rocket-breaks-sydneys-hearts-shandong-luneng-advance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1954517/late-hao-junmin-rocket-breaks-sydneys-hearts-shandong-luneng-advance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 May 2016 13:03:58 +0000 Leonardo scored twice as 2006 winner Jeonbuk Motors secured the first spot in the Asian Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory, and Wu Lei’s stoppage-time winner against FC Tokyo helped Shanghai SIPG sneak into the last eight on the away goals rule. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Shanghai SIPG were the dominant side for much of the tie, but could not find a way through to break the resistance of FC Tokyo goalkeeper Yota Akimoto and his backline. Watch highlights... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1953430/jeonbuk-shanghai-sipg-afc-champions-league-quarter-finals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1953430/jeonbuk-shanghai-sipg-afc-champions-league-quarter-finals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 May 2016 15:43:03 +0000 Shandong Luneng’s AFC Champions League campaign had a minor setback on Wednesday night when the Chinese hosts failed to hold off Sydney FC, ended up with a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their last-16 game. David Carney scored an important away goal in Sydney FC’s draw at the Jinan Olympic Sports Centre with a boisterous crowd of 16,917. The hosts could have gone ahead early, but their Argentine playmaker Walter Montillo missed from the penalty spot in the seventh minute after Wu Xinghan had been... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1947197/shandong-luneng-upbeat-despite-1-1-draw-sydney-fc-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1947197/shandong-luneng-upbeat-despite-1-1-draw-sydney-fc-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 May 2016 16:58:37 +0000 A superb brace by Kota Mizunuma rocked Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Shanghai SIPG as they lost 2-1 to FC Tokyo in the AFC Champions League round of 16 first leg on Tuesday. Mizunuma’s cheeky free kick routine put the hosts ahead just before half-time and he volleyed a stunning winner on 65 minutes, after Wu Lei had briefly put Shanghai level. The victory leaves FC Tokyo dreaming of their first Champions League quarter-final, while Shanghai are up against it when they host next week’s return leg at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1946635/kota-mizunuma-brace-leaves-shanghai-sipg-seeing-double-afc-champions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1946635/kota-mizunuma-brace-leaves-shanghai-sipg-seeing-double-afc-champions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 May 2016 16:44:51 +0000 Goals from Alex Teixeira and Jo could not save Jiangsu Suning as the Chinese big-spenders crashed out of the AFC Champions League with a 2-2 draw against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on Wednesday. In their final group E game, Jiangsu’s Asian-record signing Teixeira cancelled out Leonardo’s opener, and former Manchester City striker Jo made it 2-1 to the visitors after half-time. Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande suffer humiliating first round exit in Champions League But Lim Jong-eun equalised... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1941403/chinese-big-spenders-jiangsu-suning-crash-out-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1941403/chinese-big-spenders-jiangsu-suning-crash-out-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 May 2016 15:10:51 +0000 Melbourne Victory scored twice in the first 17 minutes and held off Japan’s Gamba Osaka 2-1 to secure a place in the second round of the Asian Champions League on Tuesday. Melbourne finished second in Group G behind Shanghai SIPG, who were already assured of first place ahead of their 3-0 loss to two-time continental champions Suwon in South Korea. Suwon’s hopes of progression depended on a win at home and a loss for Melbourne. Kim Gun-hee opened with an early penalty for Suwon, and scored again... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1941020/melbourne-victory-join-shanghai-asian-champions-league-last-16-shandong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1941020/melbourne-victory-join-shanghai-asian-champions-league-last-16-shandong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 May 2016 01:56:03 +0000 Defending title-holders Guangzhou Evergrande crashed out of the AFC Champions League after group rivals Sydney FC and Urawa Red Diamonds played out a goalless draw on Wednesday. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Chinese giants won their first game a day earlier but it proved futile as Sydney and Urawa secured the top two spots in group H with one match to spare. Sydney reach the last 16 for the first time alongside Urawa, while Chinese domestic champions Evergrande are left licking their wounds after their... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1937467/asian-champions-guangzhou-evergrande-suffer-humiliating-first-round-exit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1937467/asian-champions-guangzhou-evergrande-suffer-humiliating-first-round-exit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Apr 2016 03:04:19 +0000 Guangzhou Evergrande kept their stumbling AFC Champions League title defence alive with a deserved 2-0 win over Pohang Steelers on Tuesday – their first victory of the competition. Chinese international striker Gao Lin set up the first goal and scored the second as Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side finally got a win at the fifth attempt in group H. But the well-heeled Chinese domestic champions are still relying on Sydney FC beating Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds on Wednesday if they are to stay in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1937210/evergrande-keep-asian-hopes-alive-their-first-win-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1937210/evergrande-keep-asian-hopes-alive-their-first-win-afc-champions-league?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Apr 2016 13:32:02 +0000 Defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande are on the brink of a group-stage exit in the AFC Champions League after a 1-0 loss to Urawa Reds on Tuesday night left the big-spending Chinese club winless in four games in the continental competition. It was a very difficult game for us after our loss to Adelaide last weekend but it was a big victory for us and we are in a good position to advance now Sydney FC forward Milos Ninkovic Yuki Muto’s header in the 52nd-minute secured Urawa’s win at home and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1933859/brink-defending-champions-guangzhou-evergrande-danger-making-afc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1933859/brink-defending-champions-guangzhou-evergrande-danger-making-afc?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Apr 2016 13:30:45 +0000 Shinzo Koroki’s late strike kept holders Guangzhou Evergrande rooted to the bottom of their AFC Champions League group after a 2-2 draw with Urawa Red Diamonds on Wednesday. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s moneybags Chinese champions had looked odds-on for the first win of their campaign after an early double from Brazilian playmaker Ricardo Goulart. But a Zeng Cheng goalkeeping howler gifted Urawa their first goal on the half-hour, before Koroki struck in the 89th minute to snatch a point for the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1926301/guangzhou-evergrande-stay-winless-after-urawa-draw-shandong-take-heavy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1926301/guangzhou-evergrande-stay-winless-after-urawa-draw-shandong-take-heavy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Mar 2016 03:30:45 +0000 Guangzhou Evergrande went down 2-1 to Sydney FC in the Asian Champions League on Wednesday despite the efforts of US$45 million signing Jackson Martinez, with their coach Luiz Felipe Scolari saying the better team won. Serbian substitute Milos Dimitrijevic scored the winner two minutes from time to leave Guangzhou, champions of Asia for two of the last three years and China for the last five, with a solitary point from their first two matches in group H. “Sydney deserved to win this match, we... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1919971/asian-champions-guangzhou-evergrande-and-jackson-martinez-stumble-sydney?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1919971/asian-champions-guangzhou-evergrande-and-jackson-martinez-stumble-sydney?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Mar 2016 13:30:15 +0000 China’s record signing Alex Teixeira helped kick-start Jiangsu Suning’s AFC Champions League campaign on Tuesday as the big spenders got off the mark with a tense 3-2 win over Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Teixeira started to repay his giant 50 million euros ($54.4 million) transfer fee from Shakhtar Donetsk as he grabbed the opener in what became Jiangsu’s first win of the tournament. Former Manchester City forward Jo also got on the scoresheet, but Jiangsu’s victory came at a cost as ex-Chelsea... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1919587/watch-record-signing-alex-teixeira-starts-paying-back-his-transfer-fee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1919587/watch-record-signing-alex-teixeira-starts-paying-back-his-transfer-fee?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Mar 2016 03:08:06 +0000 Record signing Jackson Martinez’s Guangzhou Evergrande career got off to a torrid start on Wednesday, when the AFC Champions League title-holders were held 0-0 by Pohang Steelers in front of an empty stadium. The Colombian striker, signed for €42 million (HK$359.6 million) this month from Atletico Madrid, failed to ignite a disjointed Evergrande attack as the deep-pocketed Chinese club’s Asian title defence started slowly. Martinez, 30, had little joy, but he was denied a dramatic winner in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1916529/jackson-martinez-gets-empty-feeling-guangzhou-evergrande-debut-top?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1916529/jackson-martinez-gets-empty-feeling-guangzhou-evergrande-debut-top?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Feb 2016 16:55:38 +0000 Shanghai SIPG boss Sven-Goran Eriksson believes China, buoyed by the power and influence of president Xi Jinping, can put aside years of failure at international level and push for World Cup glory in a decade. Ten years ahead, 15 years ahead, I am quite sure that the China national team will compete to win the World Cup Sven-Goran Eriksson The Swede’s club has, like many Chinese Super League sides, invested heavily of late in new players and facilities after football fan Xi demanded soccer... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1915898/china-can-challenge-world-cup-glory-2026-says-shanghai-sipg-boss-sven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/1915898/china-can-challenge-world-cup-glory-2026-says-shanghai-sipg-boss-sven?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Feb 2016 08:00:15 +0000