2007 AFC Champions League

2007 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
Dates7 March – 14 November 2007
Teams27
Final positions
Champions Urawa Red Diamonds (1st title)
Runners-up Sepahan
Tournament statistics
Matches played92
Goals scored230 (2.5 per match)
Top scorer(s) Mota
(7 goals)
Best player(s) Yuichiro Nagai
Fair play award Urawa Red Diamonds
2006
2008

The 2007 AFC Champions League was the 26th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament and the 5th edition under the current AFC Champions League title.

Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds became champions for the first time, beating Sepahan of Iran and becoming the fourth Japanese club to win the Asian championship, and qualified for the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup.

Format

Group Stage

A total of 28 clubs were divided into 7 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 fellow three group members, a total of 6 matches each. Clubs received 3pts for a win, 1pt for a tie, 0pts for a loss. The clubs were ranked according to points and tie breakers were in the following order:

  • Points earned between the clubs in question
  • Goal Differential between the clubs in question
  • Points earned within the group
  • Goal Differential within the group
  • Goals For within the group

The seven group winners along with the defending champion advanced to the quarter-finals.

Knockout Round

All eight clubs were randomly matched; however, the only restriction was that the clubs from the same country could not face each other in the quarter-finals. The games were conducted in 2 legs, home and away, and the aggregate score decided the match winner. If the aggregate score couldn't produce a winner, "away goals rule" was used. If still tied, clubs played extra time, where "away goals rule" still applied. If still tied, the game went to penalties.

Participating clubs

After their admission into the AFC, Australia were granted two entries. Because of this, both Thailand and Vietnam were restricted to entering just one club, with a second club from each country playing in the AFC Cup.

West Asia East Asia
Quarter-finals
Team Qualifying method Team Qualifying method
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Defending champions
Group Stage
Team Qualifying method Team Qualifying method
Esteghlal[Note DSQ] 2005–06 Iran Pro League champions Adelaide United 2005–06 A-League premiers
Sepahan 2005–06 Hazfi Cup winners Sydney FC 2006 A-League Grand Final winners
Al-Zawraa 2005–06 Iraqi Premier League champions Shandong Luneng Taishan 2006 Chinese Super League champions &
2006 Chinese FA Cup winners
Al-Najaf 2005–06 Iraqi Premier League runners-up Shanghai Shenhua 2006 Chinese Super League runners-up
Kuwait SC 2005–06 Kuwaiti Premier League champions Persik Kediri 2006 Liga Indonesia Premier Division champions
Al-Arabi 2006 Kuwait Emir Cup winners Arema Malang 2006 Copa Indonesia winners
Al Sadd 2005–06 Qatar Stars League champions Urawa Red Diamonds 2006 J.League Division 1 champions &
2006 Emperor's Cup winners
Al-Rayyan 2005–06 Emir of Qatar Cup winners Kawasaki Frontale 2006 J.League Division 1 runners-up
Al Shabab 2005–06 Saudi Premier League champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 2006 K League champions
Al Hilal 2005–06 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners Chunnam Dragons 2006 Korean FA Cup winners
Al-Karamah 2005–06 Syrian Premier League champions Bangkok University FC 2006 Thailand Premier League champions
Al-Ittihad 2005–06 Syrian Cup winners Gach Dong Tam Long An 2006 V-League winners
Al Wahda 2005–06 UAE Football League runners-up
Al Ain 2005–06 UAE President's Cup winners
Pakhtakor 2006 Uzbek League champions &
2006 Uzbekistan Cup winners
Neftchi Fergana 2006 Uzbek League runners-up
Notes
  1. ^
    Esteghlal were disqualified from the competition by the AFC for failing to submit their player registration form in time. Consequently, Group B was reduced to three teams.

Group stage

The draw took place in Kuala Lumpur on 22 December, allocating teams into seven groups. In February, the AFC disqualified Esteghlal Tehran from Group B for failing to register their players in time.

Group matches were scheduled to be played over match days on 7 March 21 March 11 April 25 April 9 and 23 May 2007.

Group A

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Al-Wahda 6 4 1 1 13 6 +7 13
Al-Zawraa 6 3 2 1 9 6 +3 11
Al-Arabi 6 2 1 3 10 12 −2 7
Al-Rayyan 6 0 2 4 3 11 −8 2
Source:
Al-Arabi 0–1 Al-Zawraa
(Report) Muslim Mubarak 66'
Al-Rayyan 0–1 Al-Wahda
(Report) Mohamed al-Shehhi 81'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Yang Zhiqiang (China)

Al-Zawraa 0–0 Al-Rayyan
(Report)

Al-Arabi 1–1 Al-Rayyan
Jarrah Al Zuhair 60' (Report) Adel Lamy 52'
Attendance: 7,300
Referee: Naser Al-Ghafary (Jordan)

Al-Rayyan 1–3 Al-Arabi
Thiago Ribeiro 44' (report) Khaled Khalaf 25'
Firas Al Khatib 63', 69'
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Ali Al Mutlaq (Saudi Arabia)
Al-Wahda 1–1 Al-Zawraa
Abdulrahim Jumaa 57' (report) Haidar Sabah 75'
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Jasim Karim (Bahrain)

Al-Zawraa 3–2 Al-Arabi
Wissam Kadhim 21'
Ahmad Ibrahim 70'
Nawaf Falah 78'
(Report) Firas Al Khatib 50', 84'

Al-Arabi 3–2 Al-Wahda
Khaled Abd Al Kudos 6'
Khaled Khalaf 55'
Jarrah Al Zuhair 87'
(Report) Saeed Salem 23'
Yaser Matar 90'
Al-Rayyan 1–3 Al-Zawraa
Saoud Khames 75' (Report) Salman Mesbeh 13' (o.g.)
Abdul-Salam Abood 26'
Haidar Sabah 34'

Group B

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Al-Hilal 4 2 2 0 5 1 +4 8
Pakhtakor 4 2 0 2 3 5 −2 6
Al Kuwait 4 0 2 2 2 4 −2 2
Esteghlal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0[a]
Source:
Notes:
  1. ^ Esteghlal was disqualified for failing to submit their players list in time.

Al Kuwait 0–1 Pakhtakor
(Report) Aleksandr Kletskov 69'
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)

Pakhtakor 0–2 Al-Hilal
(Report) Omar Al-Ghamdi 54'
Rodrigão 59'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Junjie Huang (China)

Al-Hilal 2–0 Pakhtakor
Rodrigão 30' 90' (pen.) (report)

Al Kuwait 0–0 Al-Hilal
(Report)
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Jasim Karim (Bahrain)

Group C

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Al-Karamah 6 3 2 1 11 7 +4 11
Neftchi 6 3 1 2 6 7 −1 10
Najaf FC 6 2 2 2 9 8 +1 8
Al Sadd 6 1 1 4 6 10 −4 4
Source:
Al-Karamah 2–1 Al Sadd
Senghor Koupouleni 70'
Abdalrahman Akkari 85'
(Report) Magid Mohamed 22'
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Madhad Saif Al Badwawi (United Arab Emirates)
Najaf FC 0–1 Neftchi
(Report) Kholmatov 71'
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

Al Sadd 1–4 Najaf FC
Talal Al Bloushi 45' (Report) Aqeel Mohammed 47'
Saeed Mohsen 55' 86' (pen.)
Karrar Jassim 70'
Attendance: 1,500

Al Sadd 2–0 Neftchi
Khalfan Ibrahim 65'
Emerson 75'
(Report)
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Tan Hai (China)
Al Karamah 1–1 Najaf FC
Fahd Awde 90' (pen.) (Report) Falah Hasan Kadhim 71'
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Jasim Karim (Bahrain)

Najaf FC 2–4 Al-Karamah
Saeed Mohsen 7' (pen.)
Qassim Faraj 86' (pen.)
(Report) Jehad Al Hussein 46', 52'
Fahd Awde 50'
Senghor Koupouleni 65'
Neftchi 2–1 Al Sadd
Iqboljon Akramov 1'
Nasim Shoimov 41'
(Report) Emerson 17'
Attendance: 14,600
Referee: Kazuhiko Matsumura (Japan)

Al Sadd 1–1 Al-Karamah
Ali Nasser 16' (Report) Iyad Mando 44'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Chaiwat Kunsuta (Thailand)
Neftchi 1–1 Najaf FC
Kholmatov 43' (Report) Ali Mohammed 60'
Attendance: 16,000

Al-Karamah 2–0 Neftchi
Iyad Mando 12', 50' (Report)
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Ali Al Mutlaq (Saudi Arabia)
Najaf FC 1–0 Al Sadd
Saeed Mohsen 78' (Report)
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mugjhef (Jordan)

Group D

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Sepahan 6 4 1 1 12 5 +7 13
Al-Shabab 6 3 1 2 9 3 +6 10
Al Ain 6 1 3 2 5 8 −3 6
Al-Ittihad 6 0 3 3 3 13 −10 3

Al-Ittihad 0–0 Al Ain
(Report)
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Alaa Abdul-Kadir Nema (Iraq)

Al-Shabab 4–0 Al-Ittihad
Abdullah Al Dosari 35', 48'
Naji Majrashi 60' (pen.)
Waleed Al-Gizanii 79'
(Report)
Al Ain 3–2 Sepahan
Ali Al-Wehaibi 6'
Msalam Faiez 44'
Frank Ongfiang 84'
(Report) Mehdi Seyed Salehi 8'
Emad Mohammed 65'
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Chaiwat Kunsuta (Thailand)

Al-Ittihad 1–1 Al-Shabab
Ammar Rihawi 36' (Report) Ahmed Ateef 65'

Al-Shabab 2–0 Al Ain
Abdullah Al Astaa 59'
Waleed Al-Gizani 88'
(Report)

Al Ain 1–1 Al-Ittihad
Ghareeb Hareb 53' (Report) Anas Sari 90'
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Huang Junjie (China)

Group E

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Urawa Red Diamonds 6 2 4 0 9 5 +4 10
Sydney FC 6 2 3 1 8 5 +3 9
Persik Kediri 6 2 1 3 6 16 −10 7
Shanghai Shenhua 6 1 2 3 7 4 +3 5
Source:

Persik Kediri 1–0 Shanghai Shenhua
Bertha Yuana Putra 71' (Report)
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Abdulhameed Ebrahim (Bahrain)

Urawa Red Diamonds 1–0 Shanghai Shenhua
Yuki Abe 45' (Report)
Attendance: 28,828
Referee: Masoud Moradi (Iran)
Persik Kediri 2–1 Sydney FC
Aris Budi Prasetyo 25'
Budi Sudarsono 70'
(Report) Steve Corica 8'

Shanghai Shenhua 0–0 Urawa Red Diamonds
(Report)
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)
Sydney FC 3–0 Persik Kediri
Steve Corica 54', 90'
Alex Brosque 73'
(Report)
Attendance: 10,075
Referee: Minh Tri Vo (Vietnam)


Shanghai Shenhua 6–0 Persik Kediri
Xie Hui 8'
Gao Lin 25'
Diego Alonso 79', 87', 90'
Sergio Blanco 86'
(Report)
Attendance: 8,000

Group F

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Kawasaki Frontale 6 5 1 0 15 4 +11 16
Chunnam Dragons 6 3 1 2 7 8 −1 10
Arema Malang 6 1 1 4 2 9 −7 4
Bangkok University 6 0 3 3 4 7 −3 3
Source:
Arema Malang 1–3 Kawasaki Frontale
Elie Aiboy 12' (Report) Magnum 1', 73'
Kengo Nakamura 82'
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Naser Al-Ghafary (Jordan)

Chunnam Dragons 2–0 Arema Malang
Kim Tae-Su 48'
Sandro Cardoso 82'
(Report)
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Huang Junjie (China)

Bangkok University 0–0 Arema Malang
(Report)
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Kadyrbek Chynybekov (Kyrgyzstan)


Chunnam Dragons 3–2 Bangkok University
Kim Seung-Hyun 28'
Song Tae-Lim 79', 90'
(Report) Kittisak Siriwaen 11'
Kraisorn Pancharoen 39'
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Abdul Neman
Kawasaki Frontale 3–0 Arema Malang
Kengo Nakamura 4', 70'
Taku Harada 80'
(Report)
Attendance: 9,453
Referee: Minh Tri Vo (Vietnam)

Bangkok University 1–2 Kawasaki Frontale
Ekkaphan Petvises 40' (Report) Taku Harada 17'
Takahisa Nishiyama 63'
Arema Malang 0–1 Chunnam Dragons
(Report) Ju Kwang-Youn 47'
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)

Group G

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 6 4 1 1 13 6 +7 13
Shandong Luneng Taishan 6 4 1 1 12 8 +4 13
Adelaide United 6 2 2 2 9 6 +3 8
Gach Dong Tam Long An 6 0 0 6 4 18 −14 0
Source:
Adelaide United 0–1 Shandong Luneng Taishan
(Report) Michael Valkanis 47' (o.g.)
Attendance: 7,645
Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 4–1 Gach Dong Tam Long An
Mota 9', 69' (pen.)
Kim Dong-hyun 70'
Adrian Neaga 81'
(Report) Kabanga Tshamala 87'
Attendance: 300
Referee: Dilovarshokh Orzuev (Tajikistan)

Gach Dong Tam Long An 0–2 Adelaide United
(Report) Fernando 18'
Travis Dodd 30'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Ali Saleem (Maldives)




Knock-out stage

Bracket

Quarter finals Semi-finals Final
            
Sepahan (p) 0 0 0 (5)
Kawasaki Frontale 0 0 0 (4)
Sepahan 3 0 3
Al-Wahda 1 0 1
Al-Wahda (a) 0 1 1
Al-Hilal 0 1 1
Sepahan 1 0 1
Urawa Red Diamonds 1 2 3
Seognam Ilhwa Chunma 2 2 4
Al-Karamah 1 0 1
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 2 2 4 (3)
Urawa Red Diamonds (p) 2 2 4 (5)
Urawa Red Diamonds 2 2 4
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1 0 1

Quarter-finals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Sepahan 0–0 (5–4p) Kawasaki Frontale 0–0 0–0 (a.e.t.)
Al-Wahda 1–1 (a) Al-Hilal 0–0 1–1
Seognam Ilhwa Chunma 4–1 Al-Karamah 2–1 2–0
Urawa Red Diamonds 4–1 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
(2006 Champion)
2–1 2–0

First leg

Sepahan 0–0 Kawasaki Frontale
Report
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Jasim Karim (Bahrain)

Al-Wahda 0–0 Al-Hilal
Report
Attendance: 12,000

Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 2–1 Al-Karamah
Kim Min-ho 72'
Cho Byung-Kuk 74'
Report Senghor Koupouleni 9'
Attendance: 1,300
Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

Urawa Red Diamonds 2–1 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Makoto Hasebe 4'
Tatsuya Tanaka 59'
Report Choi Jin-cheul 90'
Attendance: 33,103
Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)

Second leg

  • Sepahan progress 5–4 on penalties after 0–0 aggregate score

  • Al-Wahda progress on away goals rule with 1–1 aggregate score

  • Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma progress 4–1 on aggregate

  • Urawa Red Diamonds progress 4–1 on aggregate

Semi-finals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Sepahan 3–1 Al-Wahda 3–1 0–0
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 4–4 (3–5p) Urawa Red Diamonds 2–2 2–2 (a.e.t.)

First leg


Second leg

  • Urawa Red Diamonds progress 5–3 on penalties after 4–4 aggregate score

Al-Wahda 0–0 Sepahan
Report
Attendance: 13,000
  • Sepahan progress 3–1 on aggregate

Final

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Sepahan 1–3 Urawa Red Diamonds 1–1 0–2

First leg

Second leg

Urawa Red Diamonds 2–0 Sepahan
Yuichiro Nagai 22'
Yuki Abe 71'
Report
  • Urawa Red Diamonds win 3–1 on aggregate

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Mota Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 7
2 Kim Dong-hyun Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 5
Mehdi Seyed Salehi Sepahan
4 Rodrigão Al-Hilal 4
Firas Al Khatib Al-Arabi
Saeed Mohsen Najaf FC
Steve Corica Sydney FC
Travis Dodd Adelaide United
Robson Ponte Urawa Red Diamonds
10 Magnum Kawasaki Frontale 3
Juninho Kawasaki Frontale
Kengo Nakamura Kawasaki Frontale
Wang Yongpo Shandong Luneng Taishan
Li Jinyu Shandong Luneng Taishan
Emad Mohammed Sepahan
Mahmoud Karimi Sepahan
Mamadou Bagayoko Al-Wahda
Waleed Al-Gizani Al-Shabab
Diego Alonso Shanghai Shenhua
Fernando Adelaide United
Iyad Mando Al-Karamah
Senghor Koupouleni Al-Karamah
Tatsuya Tanaka Urawa Red Diamonds
Yuichiro Nagai Urawa Red Diamonds
Yuki Abe Urawa Red Diamonds
Choi Sung-Kuk Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma

See also

References