2008 AFC Champions League

2008 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
Dates 12 Mar 2008 - 12 Nov 2008
Teams 29
Final positions
Champions Japan Gamba Osaka (1st title)
Runners-up Australia Adelaide United
Third place Uzbekistan Bunyodkor
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
Tournament statistics
Matches played 98
Goals scored 275 (2.81 per match)
Top scorer(s) Thailand Nantawat Thansopa
(9 goals)
Best player Japan Yasuhito Endō
(Gamba Osaka)

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.

Participating clubs

Along with the defending champion, Urawa Red Diamonds, 28 other clubs from fourteen countries qualified based on performance in domestic league and cup competitions. Urawa Red Diamonds entered the competition at the quarter-finals. The draw for group stage took place on 12 December 2007.

Defending Champions (1)
Japan Japan (1) Urawa Red Diamonds (2007 AFC Champions League winners)
East Asia & ASEAN (12)
Australia Australia (2) Melbourne Victory (2006–07 A-League premiers and 2007 A-League Grand Final winners)
Adelaide United (2006–07 A-League regular season runners-up)
China China (2) Changchun Yatai (2007 Chinese Super League champions)
Beijing Guoan (2007 Chinese Super League runners-up)
Indonesia Indonesia (0)†
Japan Japan (2) Kashima Antlers (2007 J. League Division 1 champions and 2007–08 Emperor's Cup winners)
Gamba Osaka (2007 J. League Division 1 third place)
South Korea Korea Republic (2) Pohang Steelers (2007 K-League champions)
Chunnam Dragons (2007 Korean FA Cup winners)
Thailand Thailand (2)† Chonburi FC (2007 Thailand Premier League champions)
Krung Thai Bank FC (2007 Thailand Premier League runners-up)
Vietnam Vietnam (2)† Bình Dương F.C. (2007 V-League champions)
Nam Dinh F.C. (2007 Vietnamese Cup winners)
Central & South Asia and West Asia (16)
Iran Iran (2) Saipa (2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup champions)
Sepahan (2006–07 Hazfi Cup winners)
Iraq Iraq (2) Erbil SC (2006–07 Iraqi Premier League champions)
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (2006–07 Iraqi Premier League runners-up)
Kuwait Kuwait (2) Al Kuwait (2006–07 Kuwaiti Premier League champions)
Al Qadisiya (2007 Kuwait Emir Cup winners)
Qatar Qatar (2) Al-Sadd (2006–07 Qatar Stars League champions and 2007 Emir of Qatar Cup winners)
Al-Gharafa (2006–07 Qatar Stars League runners-up)
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia (1) Al-Ittihad (2006–07 Saudi Premier League champions)
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia (1) Al-Ahli (2006–07 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners)
Syria Syria (2) Al-Karamah (2006–07 Syrian League champions and 2006–07 Syrian Cup winners)
Al-Ittihad (2006–07 Syrian League runners-up)
United Arab Emirates UAE (2) Al Wasl (2006–07 UAE Football League champions and 2006–07 UAE Emir Cup winners)
Al-Wahda (2006–07 UAE Football League runners-up)
Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (2) Pakhtakor (2007 Uzbek League champions and 2007 Uzbekistani Cup winners)
Bunyodkor (2007 Uzbek League runners-up)

† In the 2008 edition, Indonesia were allocated two slots just like the older editions. However, on 12 December 2007, AFC awarded one Indonesian slots to Thailand and the other one to Vietnam, due to delay in Indonesian domestic league and cup tournament,[1] allowing both Thai and Vietnamese slots to be total of two.

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:

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
Knockout stage draw - 24 May 2008

Group stage

Group A

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 641182+613
Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 630365+19
Iran Sepahan 621358−37
Syria Al-Ittihad 620448−46

2008-03-12
Sepahan Iran 0 – 2 Syria Al-Ittihad
Report Jésus Gomez  21'
Al Agha  87'
Foolad Shahr Stadium, Isfahan
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Ben Williams (Australia)

2008-03-19
Bunyodkor Uzbekistan 2 – 0 Iran Sepahan
Bakayev  61'
Kapadze  80' 		Report
MHSK Stadium, Tashkent
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Fareed Al Marzouqi (UAE)

2008-04-09
Sepahan Iran 2 – 1 Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad
Seyed Salehi  59'
Aghily  71' 		Report Al-Meshal  89'
Azadi Stadium, Tehran
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Sun Baojie (China PR)

2008-04-23
Bunyodkor Uzbekistan 1 – 0 Syria Al-Ittihad
Kapadze  29' Report
MHSK Stadium, Tashkent
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Malik Abdul Bashir (Singapore)

2008-05-07
Al-Ittihad Syria 2 – 1 Iran Sepahan
Laurens  61'
Jésus Gomez  64' 		Report Aghily  48'
Aleppo International Stadium, Aleppo
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Naser Al Ghafary (Jordan)

2008-05-07
Bunyodkor Uzbekistan 2 – 0 Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad
Soliev  10'
Djeparov  38' 		Report

2008-05-21
Sepahan Iran 1 – 1 Uzbekistan Bunyodkor
Ali Mohammadi  2' Report Gochguliev  72'
Azadi Stadium, Tehran
Attendance: 150
Referee: Abdullah Al Hilali (Oman)

Group B

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Iran Saipa 633073+412
Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 62225508
United Arab Emirates Al Wasl 621357−27
Kuwait Al Kuwait 612346−25

2008-03-12
Al Kuwait Kuwait 1 – 1 Iran Saipa
Ajab  44' Report Zaynadpour  66'

2008-03-19
Saipa Iran 2 – 0 United Arab Emirates Al Wasl
Traoré  45'
Ansarifard  57' 		Report
Enghelab Stadium, Karaj
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Masaaki Iemoto (Japan)

2008-04-09
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Iraq 0 – 1 Iran Saipa
Report Vaziri  45+1'
Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium, Kuwait City
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)

2008-04-09
Al Wasl United Arab Emirates 1 – 0 Kuwait Al Kuwait
Hassan  75' Report
Zabeel Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 4,622
Referee: Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)

2008-04-23
Saipa Iran 1 – 1 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Rahmati  63' (pen.) Report Ayad  71'
Enghelab Stadium, Karaj
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)

2008-04-23
Al Kuwait Kuwait 2 – 1 United Arab Emirates Al Wasl
Ajab  10'
Al Awadhi  42' 		Report Ali  4' (pen.)
Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium, Kuwait City
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)

2008-05-07
Saipa Iran 1 – 0 Kuwait Al Kuwait
Rahmati  24' Report
Enghelab Stadium, Karaj
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Sun Baojie (China PR)

2008-05-21
Al Wasl United Arab Emirates 1 – 1 Iran Saipa
André Dias  90+2' Report Traoré  21'
Zabeel Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Mark Shield (Australia)

2008-05-21
Al Kuwait Kuwait 1 – 2 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Ajab  22' Report Kadhim  17'
Abdul-Mohsen  48'

Group C

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Syria Al-Karamah 632183+511
United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 623167−19
Qatar Al-Sadd 613268−26
Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli 604257−24

2008-03-12
Al-Sadd Qatar 2 – 1 Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli
Emerson  6'
Felipe  26' 		Report Val Baiano  73'
Al Sadd Stadium, Doha
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)

2008-03-12
Al-Karamah Syria 4 – 1 United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
Esmaeel  3'
Chaabo  27', 48'
Al Hamwi  80' 		Report Al Shehhi  83'

2008-03-19
Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia 1 – 1 Syria Al-Karamah
Al Thagafi  15' Report Al Hamwi  44'

2008-03-19
Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates 2 – 2 Qatar Al-Sadd
Pinga  17'
Al Shehhi  85 		Report Tenorio  44'
Emerson  71'

2008-04-09
Al-Sadd Qatar 0 – 2 Syria Al-Karamah
Report Al Hamwi  69'
Jenyat  73'
Al Sadd Stadium, Doha
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Malik Abdul Bashir (Singapore)

2008-04-23
Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates 2 – 1 Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli
Josiel  35', 84' Report Al Gizani  81'
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Mark Shield (Australia)

2008-04-23
Al-Karamah Syria 1 – 0 Qatar Al-Sadd
Jenyat  78' Report

2008-05-07
Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia 2 – 2 Qatar Al-Sadd
Taher Zakaria  28' (o.g.)
Sulimani  42' (pen.) 		Report Gholam  32' (pen.)
Ahmed  50'

2008-05-07
Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates 1 – 0 Syria Al-Karamah
Al Shehhi  90' Report
Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Kazuhiko Matsumura (Japan)

2008-05-21
Al-Sadd Qatar 0 – 0 United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
Report

Group D

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Kuwait Al Qadisiya 632187+111
Uzbekistan Pakhtakor 6321136+711
Iraq Erbil 6222811−38
Qatar Al-Gharafa 602438−52

2008-03-12
Pakhtakor Uzbekistan 0 – 1 Kuwait Al Qadisiya
Report Ajab  90+1'

2008-03-12
Erbil Iraq 1 – 1 Qatar Al-Gharafa
Muslim Mubarak  61' Report Araújo  13'

2008-03-19
Al-Gharafa Qatar 2 – 2 Uzbekistan Pakhtakor
Mahmoud  57'
Araújo  65' 		Report Aliqulov  68'
F. Tadjiyev  78'

2008-04-09
Al Qadisiya Kuwait 1 – 0 Qatar Al-Gharafa
Ajab  62' Report
Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium, Kuwait City
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)

2008-04-09
Pakhtakor Uzbekistan 2 – 0 Iraq Erbil
Kholmatov  47'
Geynrikh  52' (pen.) 		Report
MHSK Stadium, Tashkent
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Masoud Moradi (Iran)

2008-04-23
Erbil Iraq 1 – 5 Uzbekistan Pakhtakor
Sabah  19' Report Siamand  38' (o.g.)
Kuziboyev  69'
Marković  73'
Geynrikh  81'
Kholmatov  90+3'
Prince Mohammed Stadium, Zarqa
Attendance: 180
Referee: Mohamed Al Marzouqi (UAE)

2008-05-07
Al Qadisiya Kuwait 2 – 2 Uzbekistan Pakhtakor
Ajab  20'
Al Salama  45' (pen.) 		Report Ahmedov  36'
Z. Tadjiyev  81'
Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium, Kuwait City
Attendance: 18000
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)

2008-05-07
Al-Gharafa Qatar 0 – 1 Iraq Erbil
Report Alwan  29'
Al-Gharafa Stadium, Doha
Attendance: 200
Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)

2008-05-21
Pakhtakor Uzbekistan 2 – 0 Qatar Al-Gharafa
Z. Tadjiyev  19'
Ahmedov  88' (pen.) 		Report
MHSK Stadium, Tashkent
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)

2008-05-21
Erbil Iraq 4 – 2 Kuwait Al Qadisiya
Salah  52', 70', 79'
Alwan  89' 		Report Al Shammari  23'
Al-Kandri  34'
Prince Mohammed Stadium, Zarqa
Attendance: 120
Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

Group E

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Australia Adelaide United 642092+714
China Changchun Yatai 6330103+712
South Korea Pohang Steelers 612367−15
Vietnam Bình Dương 6015417−131

2008-03-19
Bình Dương Vietnam 1 – 4 South Korea Pohang Steelers
Robson De Lima  11' (pen.) Report Denilson  49' (pen.), 58' (pen.)
Kim Jae-Sung  56'
Choi Hyo-Jin  64'
Gò Đậu Stadium, Thủ Dầu Một
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)

2008-04-09
Bình Dương Vietnam 1 – 2 Australia Adelaide United
Philani  85' Report Diego  10'
Alagich  78'
Gò Đậu Stadium, Thủ Dầu Một
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Atallah Jatli Al Enezi (Kuwait)

2008-04-23
Adelaide United Australia 4 – 1 Vietnam Bình Dương
Pantelis  56'
Dodd  58', 62'
Diego  77' 		Report Phạm Minh Đức  65'
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Attendance: 13,802
Referee: Mohamed Al Hilali (Oman)

2008-05-21
Pohang Steelers South Korea 0 – 0 Vietnam Bình Dương
Report
Steelyard Stadium, Pohang
Attendance: 4,571
Referee: Abdulrahman Recho (Syria)

Group F

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Japan Kashima Antlers 6501283+2515
China Beijing Guoan 6402149+512
Thailand Krung Thai Bank 62132027−77
Vietnam Nam Định 6015427−231

2008-03-12
Krung Thai Bank Thailand 1 – 9 Japan Kashima Antlers
Kone  64' Report Tashiro  15', 50'
Iwamasa  21'
Nozawa  34', 90+2'
Marquinhos  47', 69', 71'
Sasaki  73'

2008-03-19
Kashima Antlers Japan 6 – 0 Vietnam Nam Dinh
Motoyama  25', 48'
Marquinhos  58', 67'
Tashiro  73'
Danilo  90+2' 		Report
Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
Attendance: 7,087
Referee: Mohamad Mansour (Lebanon)

2008-03-19
Beijing Guoan China 4 – 2 Thailand Krung Thai Bank
Du Wenhui  39', 73'
Martínez  51', 75' 		Report Thansopa  58'
Pichitchotirat  63'
Beijing Fengtai Stadium, Beijing
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Atallah Jatli (Kuwait)

2008-04-09
Krung Thai Bank Thailand 9 – 1 Vietnam Nam Dinh
Kone  4', 44', 90+1', 90+2'
Thansopa  8', 46', 59'
Choeichiu  64'
Wongsuparuk  70' 		Report Trần Đức Dương  64'
Chulalongkorn University Sports Stadium, Bangkok
Attendance: 500
Referee: Hedayat Mombeni (Iran)

2008-04-23
Nam Dinh Vietnam 2 – 2 Thailand Krung Thai Bank
Hoàng Ngọc Linh  2', 47' Report Thansopa  21'
Choeichiu  90'
Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi2
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Mohammad Dharman (Qatar)

2008-05-07
Beijing Guoan China 3 – 0 Vietnam Nam Dinh
Guo Hui  14' (pen.)
Yang Hao  32', 78' 		Report
Beijing Fengtai Stadium, Beijing
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)

2008-05-21
Krung Thai Bank Thailand 5 – 3 China Beijing Guoan
Thansopa  10', 44', 49', 69' (pen.)
Pichitchotirat  27' 		Report Tiago  67' (pen.), 70', 77' (pen.)
Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok
Attendance: 400
Referee: Fareed Ali Mohamed Al Marzouqi (UAE)

2008-05-21
Nam Dinh Vietnam 0 – 4 Japan Kashima Antlers
Report Tashiro  27'
Koroki  47'
Motoyama  75'
Danilo  87'
Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi2
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Mohamed Omar Al Saeedi (UAE)
Notes

Group G

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Japan Gamba Osaka 6420148+614
Australia Melbourne Victory 62131011−17
South Korea Chunnam Dragons 6132810−26
Thailand Chonburi 6123710−35

2008-03-12
Gamba Osaka Japan 1 – 1 Thailand Chonburi
Lucas  90+4' Report Sunthornpit  59'
Osaka Expo '70 Stadium, Suita
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Hedayat Mombeni (Iran)

2008-03-19
Chunnam Dragons South Korea 3 – 4 Japan Gamba Osaka
Simões  4'
Kim Tae-Su  27', 60' (pen.) 		Report Futagawa  30'
Bando  53', 75'
Yasuda  58'

2008-03-19
Chonburi Thailand 3 – 1 Australia Melbourne Victory
Ney Fabiano  45'
Baga  79', 90+5' 		Report Allsopp  57'
Suphachalasai Stadium, Bangkok2
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)

2008-04-09
Melbourne Victory Australia 3 – 4 Japan Gamba Osaka
Allsopp  4', 65'
Vargas  41' 		Report Futagawa  31'
Baré  38'
Yamaguchi  68'
Lucas  89'

2008-05-07
Chonburi Thailand 0 – 2 Japan Gamba Osaka
Report Yamazaki  64'
Lucas  76'

2008-05-21
Melbourne Victory Australia 3 – 1 Thailand Chonburi
Muscat  56'
Thompson  65'
Hernández  77' 		Report Ney Fabiano  55'
Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Attendance: 14,558
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
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. 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. 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 November and 12 November 2008, respectively.

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

Winners

AFC Champions League
2008 Winners

Gamba Osaka
1st Title

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

  1. ↑ article missing

External links

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