AFC Champions League: Seongnam crowned Asian Champions

Seongnam Ilhwa have been crowned champions of Asia after winning the 2010 Champions League final 3-1 against a spirited Zobahan at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

It’s a second continental triumph for Chunma, with manager Shin Tae-Yong winning the competition as a coach after doing the same as a player back in 1995.

His players meanwhile have buried the demons of an infamous defeat in the 2004 final, though they were made to work hard by this season’s Cinderella side.

Mansour Ebrahimzadeh’s side made a bright start to proceedings and didn’t seem to be at all overawed by the occasion despite their relative lack of pedigree, though a Seongnam team who had scored 22 times in the build-up to the final found their attacking rhythm.

AFC U-16 Championship: DPR Korea enters final by defeating Japan 2-1

Tashkent: Two first-half goals were enough to send DPR Korea through to the final of the 2010 AFC U-16 Championship following a 2-1 victory over Japan at Pakhtakor Stadium on Thursday.

Ri Song-ho’s side stormed ahead as Ju Jong-chol opened the scoring just minutes into the game before Pak Myong-song added a second in the 11th minute.

DPR Korea were clearly intent to shut up shop after that and it could have proved costly after Masaya Matsumoto halved the deficit midway through the second half.

However, the game petered out without any further real chances for either side meaning DPR Korea will tackle hosts Uzbekistan in Sunday’s final.

AFC Player of the Year: First list of 15 players announced

Kuala Lumpur: AFC has announced the first list of candidates for the coveted 2010 AFC Player of the Year award.

The award will be presented at the AFC Annual Awards gala, which will be held at the Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa here in the Malaysian capital on November 24, 2010.

The list of 15 players includes Japan star Keisuke Honda, Korea Republic captain Park Ji-sung and Australian Tim Cahill.

Qatar Stars League : Qatar SC's Sebastian Soria Nets Double, Lekhwiya Stay Top

Uruguay-born Qatar international Sebastian Soria scored a double as Qatar SC moved into third spot on the Qatar Stars League table after a 3-1 win at Al Sadd on Friday.

The result maintained Qatar SC's 100 per cent away record this season, while ending Al Sadd's perfect home record in the eighth round of QSL fixtures.

Young Qatar star Khalfan Ibrahim had put Al Sadd ahead in the 30th minute as manager Cosmin Olaroiu's bold approach paid dividends, but Qatar SC hit back before the break when Soria levelled on 38 minutes.

The game was evenly poised until the 81st minute when Mohammed Omar put Qatar SC ahead from close-range, before Soria wrapped up the points in injury-time from the penalty spot.

After the game, Ivory Coast international Abdul Kader Keita had to be escorted off the pitch following a clash with Qatar SC players.

Muangthong retain TPL title

Bangkok: Muangthong United put the disappointment of missing out on a place in the AFC Cup final on Sunday when they came from a goal down to defeat TOT-CAT 2-1 and win the 2010 Thailand Premier League (TPL) title with one round to spare.

The defending TPL champions were looking to bounce back from their 2-1 aggregate defeat to Syria’s Al Ittihad be reclaiming the league crown they won in 2009, that capped a phenomenal hat-trick of success that began with Muangthong winning the Division Two title in 2007 and the Division One title in 2008.

A victory would ensure Muangthong’s fourth successive league title but the side from Nonthaburi were not going to hand the champions-elect their victory and took the lead one minute before the break through Wichan Nantasri’s free-kick.