AFC Champions League Fixtures

Defending Asian champions Pohang Steelers will be eyeing to overturn their 2-1 loss when they host Iran’s Zob Ahan in the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2010 quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma will be looking to keep their lead over their Korean counterparts Suwon Samsung Bluewings after their first leg 4-1 win, while Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab will enjoy home advantage after their 2-0 victory away in the first leg when they host Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, the fourth Korean representative in the last eight.

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, who defeated Qatar’s Al Gharafa 3-0 in the first leg at home, will travel to Doha for the return leg.

Seol seeks ACL glory to ease World Cup pain

Pohang Steelers’ Seol Ki-hyun is hoping that AFC Champions League 2010 glory can help ease the pain of missing out on Korea Republic’s FIFA World Cup squad.

After a strong career in Europe, the 31-year-old returned home to play in the K-League last season with high hopes of getting into Huh Jung-moo’s national side, who went on to reach the last 16 of the tournament in South Africa.

But a knee injury prevented him from making the squad and now the former Wolves, Reading and Fulham player is determined to help his club the Steelers defend the title they won last year.

AFC Cup: Al Ittihad registers narrow win over Kazma

Syria's Al Ittihad registered a narrow 3-2 win over 10-man Kazma in the first leg of their AFC Cup quarter-final match at Aleppo International stadium on Wednesday.

The hosts opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time through an Abd Alkader Dakka penalty before substitute Mohamad Al Ghabbash made it 2-0 after 63 minutes.

Kazma substitute Abdullah Zfiri pulled a goal back for his side in the 74th minute but Al Ittihad restored their two-goal advantage through Salah Chahrour one minute into stoppage time before Farag Laheeb scored a late consolation for the visitors.

Kazma had started well and created the first chance after only 60 seconds when they were awarded a free kick that was fired over the crossbar by Fahad Al Enezi.

But it was Al Ittihad who should have opened the scoring after 15 minutes when Cameroonian midfielder Jude Kongnyuy embarked on a good run before firing a powerful shot that was pushed away for a corner by Kazma goalkeeper Shehab Kankone.

soccernet-asia: Muangthong increase lead, disappointment for Jeonb...

soccernet-asia: Muangthong increase lead, disappointment for Jeonb...: "AFC Cup quarter-finalists and defending Thailand champions Muangthong United edged past Police United 1-0 to go five points clear in the Tha..."

Muangthong increase lead, disappointment for Jeonbuk and Suwon

AFC Cup quarter-finalists and defending Thailand champions Muangthong United edged past Police United 1-0 to go five points clear in the Thai League standings after 23 rounds on Saturday.

Thailand international striker Teerasil Dangda scored the winning goal for the Muangthong after 40 minutes at the Yamaha Stadium.

Muangthong, who will play Syria’s Al Karamah in the AFC Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday in Damascus, are now on 54 points, five ahead of Chonburi who have a game in hand.

Girls Football Match

Lee Chung-Yong Signs New Three-Year Deal With Bolton Wanderers

South Korea midfielder Lee Chung-Yong is reported to have put pen to paper on a new three-year contract at Bolton Wanderers.

Kim Seung-Tae, CEO of Lee’s representatives, TI Sports, told reporters at Incheon international airport that he met Trotters chairman Phil Gartside in China and signed a contract.

The contract offered by Bolton is apparently worth around £1.7 million per year, which is a 100 per cent pay increase on Lee’s current deal and will tie him to the club until 2013.

Lee, who played 40 games for the Trotters, scoring five goals and supplying eight assists last season, spoke to reporters at the airport before flying back to UK.

He said: "Bolton's goal this season is to stay in the EPL [Premier League] but I would like to lead Bolton to mid-table."
Source: Goal.com

Bordoloi Cup: Nabil Three Star Into Semis

Nabil Three Star Club was favored with lady luck as they entered Semifinals after playing second draw (0-0) against minnow Assam Police in 59th Borfoloi Cup Football Tournament.

Assam Police was in a must win situation but Patane would have entered with just another draw.

Three Star again failed to show impressive game as few chances were created but front liners failed to utilize those chances.

Saturday´s match between Awani Football Club, Dhaka and ASCD, Assam will decide semifinal opponent of Three Star.

Source: Goalnepal.com

Japan Shot Stopper Seigo Narazaki Retires From International Football

Japanese shot stopper Seigo Narazaki has announced his decision to retire from international football with immediate effect. The 34-year-old ended his international career with a 2-1 friendly win over Guatemala on Tuesday evening.

"I asked the technical director of the Japanese FA to exclude me from the squad list. He expressed his understanding with respect. I have been thinking about this since the end of the World Cup," explained Narazaki, as reported by fifa.com.

"Everybody tells me that I should carry on but I have made up my mind. Nagoya manager Dragan Stojkovic understood my decision.

Iran defeats Korea after 39 years

Iran received a massive psychological boost in their bid to prepare for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ when they defeated Korea Republic 1-0 in a warm-up match on Tuesday.

This was Iran’s first victory in Korea over the Taeguk Warriors after 39 years. Their last victory came here in 1971 when they won 2-0 in an international game.

Osasuna midfielder Masoud Shojaei scored the match-winner in the 33rd minute on a counter attack and gave Team Melli their second successive victory following their 2-0 victory over China last week.

Fifth Kyrgyz Cup crown for Dordoi

AFC President’s Cup 2010 semi-finalists Dordoi blanked Neftchi 3-0 to win the Kyrgyzstan Cup title for the fifth time on Tuesday.

In-form Russian import Yury Volos opened the scoring for the AFC President’s Cup ever-presents three minutes before the half hour mark and Ildar Amirov doubled the advantage four minutes later.

Kyrygz international Mirlan Murzaev, who returned to Dordoi from Russian giants Lokomotive Moscow recently, sealed the fate of Neftchi in the last minute.

Dordoi, who will play Turkmenistan’s ITTU in the AFC President’s Cup semi-final in Yangon, Myanmar, on September 24, earlier won the Kyrgyzstan Cup crowns in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008.

Source: the-afc.com

International Friendly: Iran defeats China 2-0

Afshin Ghotbi's Iran have scored a 2-0 away win over an rapidly improving China in an international friendly this evening.

Goals from Andranik Teymourian and Mohammad Gholami gave Team Meli a confidence boosting result ahead of the Asian Cup in Qatar in January, while it is a rare set-back for China head coach Gao Hongbo during what has been an otherwise productive 12 months.

With the match played on an uneven pitch Iran struck first through Teymourian, who finished off a swift counter-attack.

K-League: Seongnam climb to top position for the first time in 2010

Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma went top of the table for the first time this season as their goalless draw at home to Suwon Samsung Bluewings moved them above Jeju United on goal difference. The match, rescheduled from October 2nd due to AFC Champions League and FA Cup commitments, was played in front of 3,986 on a cut-up Tancheon pitch that Suwon manager Yoon Sung-hyo claimed was more suitable for rugby after forward Yeom Ki-hoon was injured on it.

In Wednesday's other rescheduled match, FC Seoul bounced back from their defeat to rivals Suwon at the weekend with a convincing 4-1 win away to Pohang Steelers. Choi Tae-wook gave the visitors the lead midway through the first half and the former Pohang man turned goal provider two minutes before the break allowing Jung Jo-gook to extend FC Seoul's lead. Lee Seung-ryul added the third nine minutes into the second-half and a Kim Hyung-il own goal late in the game made it 4-0 to the visitors before Seol Ki-hyeon pulled back a late consolation for Pohang in stoppage time.

International Friendly: Thailand beat India 1-0

AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ side India lost to Thailand by a solitary goal in an international friendly here on Saturday.

The only goal of the match was scored in the 72nd minute by Thai Port striker Sarayoot Chaikamdee.

Both the teams are coached by Englishmen but it was the Bryan Robson-led Thai hosts who underlined their intent first when Teerasil Dangda found his shot rattling the cross bar in the fourth minute.

Bob Houghton’s India managed to keep a rampant Thailand at bay in the first half even as several half-chances went abegging for the AFC Asian Cup team.

Surkumar Singh hit straight at the goalkeeper in the 22nd minute and pin-up boy Sunil Chettri, who plays for MLS side Kansas City Wizards, struck the woodwork just before half-time.

The Indians came back strongly after the break and piled up the pressure on the Thais.

But it was Thailand who forged ahead when a Suchao Nutnum pass met Sarayoot who hit a fierce drive past goalkeeper Subrata Pal.

The return match takes place in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Source:the-afc.com

International Friendly: Kagawa strike gives Japan victory over Paraguay

Japan have extracted a measure of revenge on Paraguay, beating the side that knocked them out of this year's World Cup 1-0 in their international friendly in Yokohama.

The South Americans eliminated their Asian opponents on penalties in the first knockout round in South Africa.

They were beaten on this occasion by a Shinji Kagawa strike in the 64th minute, with new boss Alberto Zaccheroni watching from the stands after his appointment earlier this week.

Paraguay had chances of their own but failed to convert any of them after a bright start by the home side.

Japan captain Yuji Nakazawa saw his header saved on the stroke of half-time, Jonathan Santana going close after the break.

It was Kagawa though who opened the deadlock, latching onto Kengo Nakamura's pass before seeing his effort from outside the box go in off the post.

The Asian giants held onto their lead and have the chance to build on a morale-boosting victory when they take on Guatemala on Tuesday, Paraguay set to face China.

Source: Goal.com

International Friendly: Oman thrash Malasiya 3-0

A first-half double by Emad Al Hosni saw Gulf Cup champions Oman trounce Malaysia 3-0 in a friendly on Friday here in the capital of Qatar.

Oman, who are preparing to defend the Gulf region football title in Yemen (November 22 to December 4), are also scheduled to play AFC Asian Cup 2011 hosts Qatar in another international friendly on September 7 at the same venue.

Hassan Rabia fired Claude Le Roy’s side into a shock third minute lead and Malaysia never recovered from this first blow.

Al Hosni scored the first of his two goals in the 37th minute and sealed the win with his brace a minute before the break.

The last time Malaysia took on Oman was in the Doha Asian Games in 2006, when Norizan Bakar’s Malaysian team lost 3-1 at the Al Arabi Stadium.

Source: the-afc.com

Robert Rubcic appointed new coach of Bangladesh

Croatian Robert Rubcic has been named as the new coach of the Bangladesh football team, with his first assignment to be the Asian Games in November.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Friday the 46-year-old Rubcic had replaced Serbian Zoran Djordjevic and signed on to become Bangladesh's 14th foreign coach.

Rubcic, who last worked with Croatian club HNK Rijeka before stepping down in September last following a 6-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, will also lead the team in the Asian Games, the 2012 London Olympics qualifiers and the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

He will arrive in Bangladesh within the next ten days and is expected to sign a one-year deal.

Video: Best Goals of the Week

Here are some best goals of the week from all over the world. My personal favorite goal is the left footed volley by Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan). Enjoy the video.

Ten Best Soccer Tricks

Sydney FC sign Brazilian striker Cazarine

Sydney: Defending Australian A-League champions Sydney FC Tuesday announced they had signed towering Brazilian striker Bruno Cazarine to strengthen their attacking ranks.

Cazarine, 27, who spent the earlier part of 2010 with Vila Nova in Brazil's second division, will join Alex Brosque, Mark Bridge and Kofi Danning in the Sky Blues' powerful front line.

"I am tall and I can bring physicality," the 188-centimetre (six feet two inches) attacker said.

"I think the coach has some great options in attack. The game is physical here and quicker, and the more I train here the more I will adjust. I like it being physical."

The well-travelled Cazarine rose through the youth ranks of Brazilian side Palmeiras to be signed by Al-Sailiya in Qatar and then China's Chengdu Blades.

He has also appeared for Spain's Terrassa, Portuguese side Naval and Italy's Martina, as well as Gyengnam in Korea Republic and Chapecoense and Bragantino in his home country.

"I am very happy with the possibility to play with Sydney FC," Cazarine said of his one-year contract.

"Sydney FC is a big club in Australia and the last champion so it is a good opportunity for me."

Source: the-afc.com