ACL 2008 Thread

[neiljzimmerman]

Not sure where this should be but does deserve a thread of its own. Big result of the night apart from the Victory win was Kashima Antlers 9-1 demolition of Krung Thai Bank.

[Victory_PerSempre]

Krung Thai Bank [1 - 9] Kashima Antlers

Wow!

[Surfside]

Gamba Fucking Drew With Chonburi At Home......fark Yeah

[cestaz]

And somehow Adelaide got a 2-0 win. :lol1:

[Milano Danielo]

the gamba result is great for us

[Surfside]

As for Kashima. 9-1 away from home, I expect double figures in Japan

[DeMMa]

Gamba goal was fucked!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NUFCMVFC]

From Soccernet.com


Kashima beat Bank in AFC Champions opener (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=516005&cc=3436)

KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 (Reuters) - J-League champions Kashima Antlers made a resounding start to their AFC Champions League campaign by thrashing Thailand's Krung Thai Bank 9-1 in Group F in Bangkok on Wednesday.

There was despair for last year's runners-up Sepahan, of Iran, however, as they suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Syria's Al Ittihad Aleppo in Group A.

Yuzo Tashiro, Marquinhos and Takuya Nozawa struck twice for Antlers with Daiki Iwamasa, Takeshi Aoki and Ryuta Sasaki also scoring for the Japanese, who led 3-0 at halftime.

In the other Group F game, Beijing Guoan opened their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Vietnam's Nam Dinh.

Sepahan, led by Iraq's Asian Cup-winning coach Jorvan Vieira, had defender Mohsen Bengar sent off after 19 minutes for a foul on Yahia Al Rached and, from the resulting free kick, Venezuelan striker Jesus Gomez struck first for the Syrians.

Abdulfatah Al Agha's second-half goal made sure of victory for Al Ittihad, the 2006 runners-up.

Australia's two teams beat Korean opposition in the opening week of Asia's most prestigious club competition.

Melbourne Victory beat Chunnam Dragons 2-0 at Telstra Dome in Group G while Adelaide United scored a morale-boosting 2-0 away triumph over K-League champions Pohang Steelers in Group E.

Captain Kevin Muscat's 28th-minute penalty and Rodrigo Vargas's 65th-minute header gave Melbourne the win. In Pohang, goals by Robert Cornthwaite and Bruce Djite steered Adelaide as both teams finished the game with 10 men.

The Australians had Ivory Coast midfielder Jonas Salley sent off just before halftime for a second yellow card while Pohang's Park Won-jae was dismissed in the 82nd minute, also for two bookings.

Chinese Super League champions Changchun Yatai joined Adelaide at the top of Group E with a 2-1 win over Vietnam's Binh Duong.

In the other Group G clash, Japan's Gamba Osaka rescued a 1-1 draw at home against Thailand's Chonburi FC with a last-gasp goal from Brazilian striker Lucas.

The opening round features seven groups of four teams with the winners advancing to the quarter-finals, where defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds, of Japan, await.

[VillaPhoenix]

I would have loved Melbourne to be in the same group as one of those Arab powerhouses ie Al Ittihad.

Cant wait till Gamba.

[3_Libras]

I would have loved Melbourne to be in the same group as one of those Arab powerhouses ie Al Ittihad.

Cant wait till Gamba.

Maybe you know this already, maybe you dont, but that cant physically happen.

[Dasher39]

I would have loved Melbourne to be in the same group as one of those Arab powerhouses ie Al Ittihad.Can't happen.

For the group stages teams can only be drawn against teams from their zone (East Asia or West Asia). As such, we cannot play against any Middle Eastern teams until at least the Quarter Finals if we make it that far.

[VillaPhoenix]

Yes i know that, but im saying it would have been good if we had been.

[NUFCMVFC]

Some Youtube highlights

Starting with Melbourne vs Chunnam of course

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APZrK2BDRvA&feature=related

Gamba Osaka vs Chunnam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwcjoV9xpi0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APM2CzOc5VY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myI2wxiEfZQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeA33ty-PIo&feature=related

Pohang vs Adelaide

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSsDDq0xfnU&feature=related

Kashima 9-1 Krung Thai Bank

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWtQm1dnRxE

Here's the other 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x739GGs_a0w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LptjBXgE3c&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQYzNiNAixI&feature=related

Some West Asian coverage, they seem to be harder to find, interesting to note the different production styles across Australia, Japan and Middle East

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j2npj_oHFk&feature=related

Interesting to note that some of the peripheral sponsors are slightly different (mains sponsors are the same)

[andre the seal]

According to the champions league website Adelaide assistant Phil Stubbins could find himself in a bit of trouble.

AFC disciplinary summary for Matchday 1

KUALA LUMPUR – The AFC Disciplinary Committee has taken the following decisions after the first round of matches in the 2008 AFC Champions League and 2008 AFC Cup.

AFC Champions League

1 - Assistant coach Philip Stubbins has been provisionally suspended from Adelaide United’s matches in the Group Stage of the AFC champions League for bringing the game into disrepute following alleged abusive comments made to the officials in the Australian side’s game against Pohang Steelers.

The AFC has requested Stubbins responds to the charges, which stem from the match commissioner’s and referee’s reports, and the Disciplinary Committee will adjudicate on the matter if or when they receive an explanation from the Adelaide assistant coach.

All other disciplinary action can be found here (http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewArticle.jsp_165871710.html)

Intrestingly it doesn't mention any action been bought forward on any Chunnam players or officials for the jostling of the referee.

[VillaPhoenix]

Thats what he gets for leaving Richmond half way through a season.

[Eddie_Victory]

I know it's still early but does anybody have any tips of who could win the ACL?

[El Zilcho]

Looking at some notable results overnight...

PFC Kuruvchi 2 – 0 Sepahan F.C.

2nd place club in the Uzbek league continue the misery for last season's runners up. They were beated at home by Syrian runners up Al-Ittihad last week. Managed by Asian Cup winning coach Jorvan Viera.

Kashima Antlers 6 – 0 Nam Dinh F.C.

Could be argued that Kashima have the easiest group - they have the runners up from arguably the two weakest leagues in their group - but they are cruising so far. 9-1 away to the Thai runners up last week, now 6-0 at home to the Vietnamese runners up. Poor attendance of just over 7K, considering they got nearly 30K to their league match the other day.

[Socceroo_06]

Kashima are my tip to take out this years ACL if they are serious about it.

[neiljzimmerman]

Following on from Kashima's goal feast in the last two matches Gamba Osaka produced a record equaling 15 – 0 win against Vietnamese side Da Nang in the AFC Champions League 2006, but failed to advance past the group stage.

[El Zilcho]

Following on from Kashima's goal feast in the last two matches Gamba Osaka produced a record equaling 15 – 0 win against Vietnamese side Da Nang in the AFC Champions League 2006, but failed to advance past the group stage.

Its just silly really, Thailand and Vietnam are both only supposed to have 1 place each in this years comp as a result of those pastings, but the AFC stripped Indonesia of both of their spots and gave one each back to the Thais and Viets. Does nothing for the competition really, they would be better off giving a spot each to the champions of say Malaysia and Bahrain.

[dechardonay]

i reckon the trophy's heading back west with al ittihad (KSA). but kashima will give a good run.

urawa won't defend well, they're lost at sea in the j-league.

[El Zilcho]

urawa won't defend well, they're lost at sea in the j-league.

Dont be so sure, they have a good 5 months to get things back on track.

[The Technician]

Kashima Antlers, Urawa Reds, Al Ittihad and Melbourne Victory will get to the semis.

[juanpabloangel]

bold statement, I hope you are right! Who wants to go to Syria for their semi?