Asian Champions League Draw is Set
By: Laurie | December 18th, 2007
A few things you may not have known about the AFC (Asian Football Conference) Champions League:
•For Group Stage purposes, the draw is divided into East Asia (Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam) and West Asia (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, and Uzbekistan.) And this is irrelevant, but I wonder why Uzbekistan is considered Asia while all the other former Soviet states are Europe. Anybody know?
•The reigning champions get a bye until the quarter-finals, when they join the top seven teams.
•Australian clubs have been considered a part of Asia confederation since summer of 2005.
•The winner of this competition qualifies for the Club World Cup.
•Sepahan of Iran got into the Club World Cup this year even though Urawa of Japan were the competition winners, because Urawa already had a spot guaranteed as event hosts.
•To stay informed about the competition, check out the Official Site.
•And yes, I do find it a little odd to be writing about some games which I would not, as a female, be allowed to actually attend. (I’m looking at you, Iran.)
West Asia
Group A: Sepahan (Iran), Kuruvchi (Uzbekistan), Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia), Al Ittihad (Syria)
Group B: Al Wasl (UAE), Saipa (Iran), Kuwait FC (Kuwait), Al Quwa Al Jawiya (Iraq)
Group C: Al Sadd (Qatar), Al Wahda (UAE), Al Karama (Syria), Al Ahli (Saudi Arabia)
Group D: Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan), Al Gharafa (Qatar), Arbil (Iraq), Al Qadsiya (Kuwait)
East Asia
Group E: Changchun Yatai (China), Adelaide United (Australia), Pohang Steelers (Korea Republic), Binh Duong (Vietnam)
Group F: Krung Thai Bank (Thailand), Beijing Guoan (China), Nam Dinh (Vietnam), Kashima Antlers (Japan)
Group G: Melbourne Victory (Australia), Chonburi FC (Thailand), Gamba Osaka (Japan), Chunnam Dragons (Korea Republic)
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Comments
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Interestingly, according to Wikipedia, Uzbekistan is including within the historical boundaries of “Central Asia,” no matter who’s defining it. Of course, so is Uzbekistan, which is in UEFA, so clearly logic is not involved.
Posted from
United States
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I think it’s a whole lot easier to imagine Uzbekistan being in Asia (which, like you say, it kind of is) than Australia. Australia should never have been allowed into the Asian confederation. It’s hard not to think that the only reason the Aussie move was allowed was that Sepp Blatter wants Oceania to go away, and for there to only be 5 confederations instead of 6.
Posted from
United States -
Umm Ian, what? I hate to break it to you but Oceania is a joke. The reason we moved to Asia is because we need something a little more meaningful than that. You can only beat a team 31-0 so many times…
Posted from
Australia -
I hear you, but what’s the point of separating confederations geographically if geography gets thrown out, as it did when Australia became a part of Asia. If FIFA wants to do away with Oceania as a confederation, than they should go ahead and do that – even that would be better than just letting countries pick what continent they want to belong to.
Posted from
United States -
That’s what I was talking about the other day. The Oceania Confederation needs to be eliminated… I honestly just don’t see the point anymore. Give them a choice between AFC and CONCACAF.
Posted from
United States
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