2008 AFC Champions League

2008 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
Dates12 March - 12 November 2008
Teams29
Final positions
Champions Gamba Osaka (1st title)
Runners-up Adelaide United
Tournament statistics
Matches played98
Goals scored275 (2.81 per match)
Top scorer(s) Nantawat Thansopa
(9 goals)
Best player(s) Yasuhito Endō
2007
2009

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.

Gamba Osaka defeated Adelaide United 5–0 on aggregate in the final to win their first AFC Champions League title. Both clubs qualified for the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup: Gamba Osaka as the AFC representative, and Adelaide United as the host nation's representative, since Japan's spot was reallocated due to Gamba Osaka's qualification as continental champion.

Urawa Red Diamonds were the defending champions, but were eliminated by the eventual winners Gamba Osaka in the semi-finals.

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 group members, a total of six matches each. Clubs received three points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. The clubs were ranked according to points and tie breakers were in the following order:

  1. Points in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among the tied teams;
  4. Goal difference in all group matches;
  5. Goals scored in all group matches;

The seven group winners along with the defending champion (Urawa Red Diamonds) advanced to the quarter-finals.

Knockout stage

An open draw was held for the knockout stage; teams from the same group or the same association could not be drawn against each other. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule, extra time and penalty shoot-outs were used to decide the winner if necessary.

Schedule

Stage Round Draw date First leg Second leg
Group stage Matchday 1 12 December 2007 12 March 2008
Matchday 2 19 March 2008
Matchday 3 9 April 2008
Matchday 4 23 April 2008
Matchday 5 8 May 2008
Matchday 6 21 May 2008
Knockout stage Quarter-finals 24 May 2008 17 September 2008 24 September 2008
Semi-finals 8 October 2008 22 October 2008
Final 5 November 2008 12 November 2008

Teams

Indonesia were initially allocated two entries. However, on 12 December 2007, the AFC redistributed Indonesia's entries to Thailand and Vietnam as the Indonesian domestic league and cup tournament wouldn't be completed in time for the start of the tournament.

West Asia East Asia
Quarter-finals
Team Qualifying method Team Qualifying method
Urawa Red Diamonds 2007 AFC Champions League champions
Group Stage
Team Qualifying method Team Qualifying method
Saipa 2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup champions Melbourne Victory 2006–07 A-League premiers
Sepahan 2006–07 Hazfi Cup winners Adelaide United 2006–07 A-League regular season runners-up[Note AUS]
Erbil 2006–07 Iraqi Premier League champions Changchun Yatai 2007 Chinese Super League champions
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2006–07 Iraqi Premier League runners-up Beijing Guoan 2007 Chinese Super League runners-up[Note CHN]
Kuwait SC 2006–07 Kuwaiti Premier League champions Kashima Antlers 2007 J.League Division 1 champions
Al Qadisiya 2007 Kuwait Emir Cup winners Gamba Osaka 2007 J.League Division 1 third-place[Note JPN]
Al Sadd 2006–07 Qatar Stars League champions Pohang Steelers 2007 K League champions
Al-Gharafa 2006–07 Qatar Stars League runners-up[Note QAT] Chunnam Dragons 2007 Korean FA Cup winners
Al-Ittihad 2006–07 Saudi Premier League champions Chonburi 2007 Thailand Premier League champions
Al Ahli 2006–07 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners Krung Thai Bank 2007 Thailand Premier League runners-up
Al-Karamah 2006–07 Syrian Premier League champions Bình Dương 2007 V-League champions
Al-Ittihad 2006–07 Syrian Premier League runners-up[Note SYR] Nam Định 2007 Vietnamese Cup winners
Al Wasl 2006–07 UAE Football League champions
Al Wahda 2006–07 UAE Football League runners-up[Note UAE]
Pakhtakor 2007 Uzbek League champions
Bunyodkor 2007 Uzbek League runners-up[Note UZB]
Notes
  1. ^
    Australia (AUS): As 2007 A-League Grand Final winners Melbourne Victory qualified for the Champions League via their league position, the spot reserved for the A-League Grand Final winners was passed onto the runners-up of the 2006–07 A-League.
  2. ^
    China (CHN): As the 2007 Chinese FA Cup was cancelled, the spot reserved for the Chinese FA Cup winners was passed onto the runners-up of the 2007 Chinese Super League.
  3. ^
    Japan (JPN): As 2007 Emperor's Cup winners, Kashima Antlers qualified for the Champions League via their league position, and runners-up of the 2007 J.League Division 1, Urawa Red Diamonds, qualified for the Champions League as 2007 AFC Champions League winners. The spot reserved for the Emperor’s Cup winners was passed onto the third placed team in the league.
  4. ^
    Qatar (QAT): As 2006–07 Emir of Qatar Cup winners Al Sadd qualified for the Champions League via their league position, the spot reserved for the Emir of Qatar Cup winners was passed onto the runners-up of the 2006–07 Qatar Stars League.
  5. ^
    Syria (SYR): As 2006–07 Syrian Cup winners Al-Karamah qualified for the Champions League via their league position, the spot reserved for the Syrian Cup winners was passed onto the runners-up of the 2006–07 Syrian Premier League.
  6. ^
    United Arab Emirates (UAE): As 2006–07 UAE President's Cup winners Al Wasl qualified for the Champions League via their league position, the spot reserved for the UAE President's Cup winners was passed onto the runners-up of the 2006–07 UAE Football League.
  7. ^
    Uzbekistan (UZB): As 2007 Uzbekistan Cup winners Pakhtakor qualified for the Champions League via their league position, the spot reserved for the Uzbekistan Cup winners was passed onto the runners-up of the 2007 Uzbek League.
Location of teams of the 2008 AFC Champions League.
Brown: Group A; Red: Group B; Orange: Group C; Yellow: Group D; Pink: Group E;
Green: Group F; Blue: Group G; Cyan: Quarter-finals;

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Bunyodkor 6 4 1 1 8 2 +6 13 Advance to knockout stage
2 Al-Ittihad 6 3 0 3 6 5 +1 9
3 Sepahan 6 2 1 3 5 8 −3 7
4 Al-Ittihad 6 2 0 4 4 8 −4 6
Source:
Sepahan 0–2 Al-Ittihad
Report Jésus Gomez 21'
Al Agha 87'
Attendance: 15,000

Bunyodkor 2–0 Sepahan
Bakayev 61'
Kapadze 80'
Report
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Fareed Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates)

Al-Ittihad 0–2 Bunyodkor
Report Hasanov 50'
Kapadze 65'
Sepahan 2–1 Al-Ittihad
Seyed Salehi 59'
Aghily 71'
Report Al-Meshal 89'
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Sun Baojie (China)

Bunyodkor 1–0 Al-Ittihad
Kapadze 29' Report
Attendance: 12,000

Al-Ittihad 2–1 Sepahan
Laurens 61'
Jésus Gomez 64'
Report Aghily 48'
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Naser Al Ghafary (Jordan)
Bunyodkor 2–0 Al-Ittihad
Soliev 10'
Djeparov 38'
Report

Sepahan 1–1 Bunyodkor
Ali Mohammadi 2' Report Gochguliev 72'
Attendance: 150

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Saipa 6 3 3 0 7 3 +4 12 Advance to knockout stage
2 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 6 2 2 2 5 5 0 8
3 Al Wasl 6 2 1 3 5 7 −2 7
4 Al Kuwait 6 1 2 3 4 6 −2 5
Source:
Al Wasl 0–1 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Report Alwan 32'
Al Kuwait 1–1 Saipa
Ajab 44' Report Zaynadpour 66'

Saipa 2–0 Al Wasl
Traoré 45'
Ansarifard 57'
Report
Attendance: 8,000

Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 0–1 Saipa
Report Vaziri 45+1'
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
Al Wasl 1–0 Al Kuwait
Hassan 75' Report
Attendance: 4,622

Saipa 1–1 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Rahmati 63' (pen.) Report Ayad 71'
Attendance: 10,000
Al Kuwait 2–1 Al Wasl
Ajab 10'
Al Awadhi 42'
Report Ali 4' (pen.)
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)

Saipa 1–0 Al Kuwait
Rahmati 24' Report
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Sun Baojie (China)

Al Wasl 1–1 Saipa
André Dias 90+2' Report Traoré 21'
Attendance: 1,500

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Al-Karamah 6 3 2 1 8 3 +5 11 Advance to knockout stage
2 Al-Wahda 6 2 3 1 6 7 −1 9
3 Al-Sadd 6 1 3 2 6 8 −2 6
4 Al-Ahli 6 0 4 2 5 7 −2 4
Source:
Al-Sadd 2–1 Al-Ahli
Emerson 6'
Felipe 26'
Report Val Baiano 73'
Attendance: 6,000
Al-Karamah 4–1 Al-Wahda
Esmaeel 3'
Chaabo 27', 48'
Al Hamwi 80'
Report Al Shehhi 83'

Al-Ahli 1–1 Al-Karamah
Al Thagafi 15' Report Al Hamwi 44'
Al-Wahda 2–2 Al-Sadd
Pinga 17'
Al Shehhi 85'
Report Tenorio 44'
Emerson 71'

Al-Sadd 0–2 Al-Karamah
Report Al Hamwi 69'
Jenyat 73'
Attendance: 6,000

Al-Wahda 2–1 Al-Ahli
Josiel 35', 84' Report Al Gizani 81'
Attendance: 5,000
Al-Karamah 1–0 Al-Sadd
Jenyat 78' Report

Al-Ahli 2–2 Al-Sadd
Taher Zakaria 28' (o.g.)
Sulimani 42' (pen.)
Report Gholam 32' (pen.)
Ahmed 50'
Al-Wahda 1–0 Al-Karamah
Al Shehhi 90' Report
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Kazuhiko Matsumura (Japan)

Al-Sadd 0–0 Al-Wahda
Report
Attendance: 800
Al-Karamah 0–0 Al-Ahli
Report

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Al Qadisiya 6 3 2 1 8 7 +1 11 Advance to knockout stage
2 Pakhtakor 6 3 2 1 13 6 +7 11
3 Erbil 6 2 2 2 8 11 −3 8
4 Al-Gharafa 6 0 2 4 3 8 −5 2
Source:
Pakhtakor 0–1 Al Qadisiya
Report Ajab 90+1'
Erbil 1–1 Al-Gharafa
Muslim Mubarak 61' Report Araújo 13'

Al-Gharafa 2–2 Pakhtakor
Mahmoud 57'
Araújo 65'
Report Aliqulov 68'
F. Tadjiyev 78'
Attendance: 2,000

Al Qadisiya 1–0 Al-Gharafa
Ajab 62' Report
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)
Pakhtakor 2–0 Erbil
Kholmatov 47'
Geynrikh 52' (pen.)
Report
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Masoud Moradi (Iran)

Al-Gharafa 0–1 Al Qadisiya
Report Al-Mutwa 89'
Attendance: 1,000
Erbil 1–5 Pakhtakor
Sabah 19' Report Siamand 38' (o.g.)
Kuziboyev 69'
Marković 73'
Geynrikh 81'
Kholmatov 90+3'
Attendance: 180
Referee: Mohamed Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates)

Al Qadisiya 2–2 Pakhtakor
Ajab 20'
Al Salama 45' (pen.)
Report Ahmedov 36'
Z. Tadjiyev 81'
Attendance: 18000
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
Al-Gharafa 0–1 Erbil
Report Alwan 29'
Attendance: 200
Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)

Pakhtakor 2–0 Al-Gharafa
Z. Tadjiyev 19'
Ahmedov 88' (pen.)
Report
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)
Erbil 4–2 Al Qadisiya
Salah 52', 70', 79'
Alwan 89'
Report Al Shammari 23'
Al-Kandri 34'
Attendance: 120
Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

Group E

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Adelaide United 6 4 2 0 9 2 +7 14 Advance to knockout stage
2 Changchun Yatai 6 3 3 0 10 3 +7 12
3 Pohang Steelers 6 1 2 3 6 7 −1 5
4 Bình Dương 6 0 1 5 4 17 −13 1
Source:
Pohang Steelers 0–2 Adelaide United
Report Cornthwaite 3'
Djite 59'
Attendance: 8,436
Referee: Mohsen Torky (Iran)

Bình Dương 1–4 Pohang Steelers
Robson 11' (pen.) Report Denilson 49' (pen.), 58' (pen.)
Kim Jae-sung 56'
Choi Hyo-jin 64'
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
Adelaide United 0–0 Changchun Yatai
Report
Attendance: 10,510

Bình Dương 1–2 Adelaide United
Philani 85' Report Diego 10'
Alagich 78'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Atallah Jatli Al Enezi (Kuwait)

Adelaide United 4–1 Bình Dương
Pantelis 56'
Dodd 58', 62'
Diego 77'
Report Phạm Minh Đức 65'
Attendance: 13,802
Referee: Mohamed Al Hilali (Oman)
Pohang Steelers 2–2 Changchun Yatai
Hwang Jae-won 64'
Hwang Jin-sung 90'
Report Wang Dong 35'
Du Zhenyu 70'
Attendance: 5,468
Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)


Pohang Steelers 0–0 Bình Dương
Report
Attendance: 4,571
Referee: Abdulrahman Recho (Syria)

Group F

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Kashima Antlers 6 5 0 1 28 3 +25 15 Advance to knockout stage
2 Beijing Guoan 6 4 0 2 14 9 +5 12
3 Krung Thai Bank 6 2 1 3 20 27 −7 7
4 Nam Định 6 0 1 5 4 27 −23 1
Source:
Krung Thai Bank 1–9 Kashima Antlers
Kone 64' Report Tashiro 15', 50'
Iwamasa 21'
Nozawa 34', 90+2'
Marquinhos 47', 69', 71'
Sasaki 73'
Nam Định 1–3 Beijing Guoan
Lê Văn Duyệt 14' Report Yan Xiangchuang 57', 90+1'
Du Wenhui 60'

Kashima Antlers 6–0 Nam Định
Motoyama 25', 48'
Marquinhos 58', 67'
Tashiro 73'
Danilo 90+2'
Report
Attendance: 7,087
Referee: Mohamad Mansour (Lebanon)
Beijing Guoan 4–2 Krung Thai Bank
Du Wenhui 39', 73'
Martínez 51', 75'
Report Thansopa 58'
Pichitchotirat 63'
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Atallah Jatli (Kuwait)

Kashima Antlers 1–0 Beijing Guoan
Danilo 52' Report
Attendance: 6,487
Referee: Mohsen Torky (Iran)
Krung Thai Bank 9–1 Nam Định
Kone 4', 44', 90+1', 90+2'
Thansopa 8', 46', 59'
Choeichiu 64'
Wongsuparuk 70'
Report Trần Đức Dương 64'
Attendance: 500
Referee: Hedayat Mombeni (Iran)

Nam Định 2–2 Krung Thai Bank
Hoàng Ngọc Linh 2', 47' Report Thansopa 21'
Choeichiu 90'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Mohammad Dharman (Qatar)

Beijing Guoan 3–0 Nam Định
Guo Hui 14' (pen.)
Yang Hao 32', 78'
Report
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)

Krung Thai Bank 5–3 Beijing Guoan
Thansopa 10', 44', 49', 69' (pen.)
Pichitchotirat 27'
Report Tiago 67' (pen.), 70', 77' (pen.)
Attendance: 400
Referee: Fareed Ali Mohamed Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates)
Nam Định 0–4 Kashima Antlers
Report Tashiro 27'
Koroki 47'
Motoyama 75'
Danilo 87'
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Mohamed Omar Al Saeedi (United Arab Emirates)

Group G

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Gamba Osaka 6 4 2 0 14 8 +6 14 Advance to knockout stage
2 Melbourne Victory 6 2 1 3 10 11 −1 7
3 Chunnam Dragons 6 1 3 2 8 10 −2 6
4 Chonburi 6 1 2 3 7 10 −3 5
Source:
Melbourne Victory 2–0 Chunnam Dragons
Muscat 28' (pen.)
Vargas 66'
Report
Attendance: 24,656
Gamba Osaka 1–1 Chonburi
Lucas 90+4' Report Sunthornpit 59'
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Hedayat Mombeni (Iran)

Chunnam Dragons 3–4 Gamba Osaka
Simões 4'
Kim Tae-su 27', 60' (pen.)
Report Futagawa 30'
Bando 53', 75'
Yasuda 58'
Chonburi 3–1 Melbourne Victory
Ney Fabiano 45'
Baga 79', 90+5'
Report Allsopp 57'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)

Chunnam Dragons 1–0 Chonburi
Simões 90' Report
Melbourne Victory 3–4 Gamba Osaka
Allsopp 4', 65'
Vargas 41'
Report Futagawa 31'
Baré 38'
Yamaguchi 68'
Lucas 89'



Melbourne Victory 3–1 Chonburi
Muscat 56'
Thompson 65'
Hernández 77'
Report Ney Fabiano 55'
Attendance: 14,558
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
Gamba Osaka 1–1 Chunnam Dragons
Futagawa 75' Report Yoo Hong-youl 86' (pen.)
Attendance: 7,160
Referee: Sun Baojie (China)

Knock-out stage

Bracket

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
            
Al-Karamah 1 0 1
Gamba Osaka 2 2 4
Gamba Osaka 1 3 4
Urawa Red Diamonds 1 1 2
Al Qadisiya 3 0 3
Urawa Red Diamonds 2 2 4
Gamba Osaka 3 2 5
Adelaide United 0 0 0
Kashima Antlers 1 0 1
Adelaide United 1 1 2
Adelaide United 3 0 3
Bunyodkor 0 1 1
Saipa 2 1 3
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.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Al-Karamah 1–4 Gamba Osaka 1–2 0–2
Al Qadisiya 3–4 Urawa Red Diamonds 3–2 0–2
Saipa 3–7 Bunyodkor 2–2 1–5
Kashima Antlers 1–2 Adelaide United 1–1 0–1


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.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Gamba Osaka 4–2 Urawa Red Diamonds 1–1 3–1
Adelaide United 3–1 Bunyodkor 3–0 0–1


Final

Gamba Osaka 3–0 Adelaide United
Lucas 37'
Endo 43'
Yasuda 68'
Report
Adelaide United 0–2 Gamba Osaka
Lucas 4', 15'

Gamba Osaka won 5–0 on aggregate.


Top scorers

The top scorers from the 2008 AFC Champions League are as follows:

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Nantawat Thansopa Krung Thai Bank 9
2 Lucas Gamba Osaka 6
3 Marquinhos Kashima Antlers 5
Masato Yamazaki Gamba Osaka
Kone Kassim Krung Thai Bank
Yuzo Tashiro Kashima Antlers
Danilo Kashima Antlers
8 Takuya Nozawa Kashima Antlers 4
Tiago Beijing Guoan
Villanueva Bunyodkor
Diego Walsh Adelaide United

Fair Play Award

Gamba Osaka

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Nam Định played their home matches at Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, as their regular home stadium Thiên Trường Stadium , Nam Định did not meet AFC requirements.
  2. ^ a b c Chonburi played their home matches at Supachalasai Stadium, Bangkok, as their regular home stadium Chonburi Municipality Stadium, Chonburi. did not meet AFC requirements.

References