2008 AFC Champions League

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.

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

Participating clubs

Along with the defending champion, Urawa Red Diamonds, 28 other clubs from fourteen countries qualified based on performance in domestic league and cup competitions. Urawa Red Diamonds entered the competition at the quarter-finals. The draw for group stage took place on 12 December 2007.

Defending Champions (1)
Japan (1)Urawa Red Diamonds (2007 AFC Champions League winners)
East Asia & ASEAN (12)
Australia (2)Melbourne Victory (2006–07 A-League premiers and 2007 A-League Grand Final winners)
Adelaide United (2006–07 A-League regular season runners-up)
China (2)Changchun Yatai (2007 Chinese Super League champions)
Beijing Guoan (2007 Chinese Super League runners-up)
Indonesia (0)†
Japan (2)Kashima Antlers (2007 J. League Division 1 champions and 2007–08 Emperor's Cup winners)
Gamba Osaka (2007 J. League Division 1 third place)
South Korea (2)Pohang Steelers (2007 K-League champions)
Chunnam Dragons (2007 Korean FA Cup winners)
Thailand (2)†Chonburi FC (2007 Thailand Premier League champions)
Krung Thai Bank FC (2007 Thailand Premier League runners-up)
Vietnam (2)†Bình Dương F.C. (2007 V-League champions)
Nam Dinh F.C. (2007 Vietnamese Cup winners)
Central & South Asia and West Asia (16)
Iran (2)Saipa (2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup champions)
Sepahan (2006–07 Hazfi Cup winners)
Iraq (2)Erbil SC (2006–07 Iraqi Premier League champions)
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (2006–07 Iraqi Premier League runners-up)
Kuwait (2)Al Kuwait (2006–07 Kuwaiti Premier League champions)
Al Qadisiya (2007 Kuwait Emir Cup winners)
Qatar (2)Al-Sadd (2006–07 Qatar Stars League champions and 2007 Emir of Qatar Cup winners)
Al-Gharafa (2006–07 Qatar Stars League runners-up)
Saudi Arabia (2)Al-Ittihad (2006–07 Saudi Premier League champions)
Al-Ahli (2006–07 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners)
Syria (2)Al-Karamah (2006–07 Syrian League champions and 2006–07 Syrian Cup winners)
Al-Ittihad (2006–07 Syrian League runners-up)
UAE (2)Al Wasl (2006–07 UAE Football League champions and 2006–07 UAE Emir Cup winners)
Al-Wahda (2006–07 UAE Football League runners-up)
Uzbekistan (2)Pakhtakor (2007 Uzbek League champions and 2007 Uzbekistani Cup winners)
Bunyodkor (2007 Uzbek League runners-up)

† In the 2008 edition, Indonesia were allocated two slots just like the older editions. However, on 12 December 2007, AFC awarded one Indonesian slots to Thailand and the other one to Vietnam, due to delay in Indonesian domestic league and cup tournament,[1] allowing both Thai and Vietnamese slots to be total of two.

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 teams in their group, a total of 6 matches each. Clubs received three points for a win, one point for a draw and no points 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 difference between the clubs in question
  • Goal difference within the group
  • Goals for within the group

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

Knockout stage

All eight clubs were randomly paired together, with the restriction that clubs from the same country could not face each other in the quarter-finals. The games were played over two legs, home and away; the team with the higher aggregate score was declared the match winner. If the aggregate score could not produce a winner, "away goals rule" was used. If the two teams were still tied, extra time was played, at the end of which the "away goals rule" was again applied if the scores were tied. If still tied, the game would go to penalties.

Schedule
Group stage draw - 12 December 2007
  • Group round: 12–19 March, 9–23 April, 7–21 May
Knockout stage draw - 24 May 2008
  • Quarter-finals: 17–24 September
  • Semi-finals: 8–22 October
  • Final: 5 and 12 November

Group stage

Group A
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Bunyodkor 6 4 1 1 8 2 +6 13
Al-Ittihad 6 3 0 3 6 5 +1 9
Sepahan 6 2 1 3 5 8 −3 7
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
Al-Ittihad 1–0 Bunyodkor
Magno Alves 80' Report
Attendance: 7,500
Al-Ittihad 0–1 Al-Ittihad
Report Magno Alves 78'
Attendance: 41,000
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'
Attendance: 20,000
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 0–1 Sepahan
Report Mohammed 70'
Attendance: 4,000
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
Attendance: 13,000
Sepahan 1–1 Bunyodkor
Ali Mohammadi 2' Report Gochguliev 72'
Attendance: 150
Al-Ittihad 3–0 Al-Ittihad
Al-Nemri 30', 50'
Hazazi 42'		 Report
Attendance: 600

Group B
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Saipa 6 3 3 0 7 3 +4 12
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 6 2 2 2 5 5 0 8
Al Wasl 6 2 1 3 5 7 −2 7
Al Kuwait 6 1 2 3 4 6 −2 5
Source:
Al Wasl 0–1 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Report Alwan 32'
Attendance: 7,500
Al Kuwait 1–1 Saipa
Ajab 44' Report Zaynadpour 66'
Attendance: 7,000
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 0–0 Al Kuwait
Report
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
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)
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 1–2 Al Wasl
Kamel 69' Report Al-Enazi 49'
Oliveira 64'
Attendance: 100
Referee: Tan Hai (China)
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
Al Kuwait 1–2 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Ajab 22' Report Kadhim 17'
Abdul-Mohsen 48'
Attendance: 250

Group C
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Al-Karamah 6 3 2 1 8 3 +5 11
Al-Wahda 6 2 3 1 6 7 −1 9
Al-Sadd 6 1 3 2 6 8 −2 6
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'
Attendance: 30,000
Al-Ahli 1–1 Al-Karamah
Al Thagafi 15' Report Al Hamwi 44'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
Al-Wahda 2–2 Al-Sadd
Pinga 17'
Al Shehhi 85'		 Report Tenorio 44'
Emerson 71'
Attendance: 5,500
Al-Ahli 0–0 Al-Wahda
Report
Attendance: 8,000
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
Attendance: 25,000
Al-Ahli 2–2 Al-Sadd
Taher Zakaria 28' (o.g.)
Sulimani 42' (pen.)		 Report Gholam 32' (pen.)
Ahmed 50'
Attendance: 1,500
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
Attendance: 15,000

Group D
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Al Qadisiya 6 3 2 1 8 7 +1 11
Pakhtakor 6 3 2 1 13 6 +7 11
Erbil 6 2 2 2 8 11 −3 8
Al-Gharafa 6 0 2 4 3 8 −5 2
Source:
Pakhtakor 0–1 Al Qadisiya
Report Ajab 90+1'
Attendance: 12,000
Erbil 1–1 Al-Gharafa
Muslim Mubarak 61' Report Araújo 13'
Attendance: 250
Referee: Talaat Najm (Lebanon)
Al Qadisiya 1–1 Erbil
Al Salama 81' Alwan 28' (pen.)
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
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Adelaide United 6 4 2 0 9 2 +7 14
Changchun Yatai 6 3 3 0 10 3 +7 12
Pohang Steelers 6 1 2 3 6 7 −1 5
Bình Dương 6 0 1 5 4 17 −13 1
Source:
Changchun Yatai 2–1 Bình Dương
Du Zhenyu 4'
Cui Wei 70'		 Report Nguyễn Anh Đức 53'
Attendance: 10,000
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 De Lima 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)
Changchun Yatai 1–0 Pohang Steelers
Dah Zadi 86' Report
Attendance: 18,000
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)
Bình Dương 0–5 Changchun Yatai
Report Wang Bo 2', 37'
Dah Zadi 13'
Yan Feng 78'
Caballero 90' (pen.)
Attendance: 4,000
Pohang Steelers 0–0 Bình Dương
Report
Attendance: 4,571
Referee: Abdulrahman Recho (Syria)

Group F
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Kashima Antlers 6 5 0 1 28 3 +25 15
Beijing Guoan 6 4 0 2 14 9 +5 12
Krung Thai Bank 6 2 1 3 20 27 −7 7
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'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
Nam Dinh 1–3 Beijing Guoan
Lê Văn Duyệt 14' Report Yan Xiangchuang 57', 90+1'
Du Wenhui 60'
Attendance: 600
Kashima Antlers 6–0 Nam Dinh
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 Dinh
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)
Beijing Guoan 1–0 Kashima Antlers
Tiago 41' Report
Attendance: 16,000
Nam Dinh 2–2 Krung Thai Bank
Hoàng Ngọc Linh 2', 47' Report Thansopa 21'
Choeichiu 90'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Mohammad Dharman (Qatar)
Kashima Antlers 8–1 Krung Thai Bank
Iwamasa 19'
Koroki 21'
Tashiro 45'
Nozawa 46', 66'
Ogasawara 50'
Danilo 74', 83'		 Report Pichitchotirat 90'
Attendance: 5,540
Beijing Guoan 3–0 Nam Dinh
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 Dinh 0–4 Kashima Antlers
Report Tashiro 27'
Koroki 47'
Motoyama 75'
Danilo 87'
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Mohamed Omar Al Saeedi (United Arab Emirates)
Notes

Group G
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Gamba Osaka 6 4 2 0 14 8 +6 14
Melbourne Victory 6 2 1 3 10 11 −1 7
Chunnam Dragons 6 1 3 2 8 10 −2 6
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'
Attendance: 3,000
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
Attendance: 500
Melbourne Victory 3–4 Gamba Osaka
Allsopp 4', 65'
Vargas 41'		 Report Futagawa 31'
Baré 38'
Yamaguchi 68'
Lucas 89'
Attendance: 26,857
Chonburi 2–2 Chunnam Dragons
On-Mo 56'
Jinta 88'		 Report Jeong Jun-yeon 5'
Kim Myung-woon 48'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Tan Hai (China)
Chunnam Dragons 1–1 Melbourne Victory
Ko Ki-gu 37' Report Pondeljak 4'
Attendance: 3,000
Chonburi 0–2 Gamba Osaka
Report Yamazaki 64'
Lucas 76'
Attendance: 10,000
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)
Notes

Knock-out stage
Main article: 2008 AFC Champions League knockout stage

Bracket
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
               
1 Al-Karamah 1 0 1
8 Gamba Osaka 2 2 4
Gamba Osaka 1 3 4
Urawa Red Diamonds 1 1 2
4 Al Qadisiya 3 0 3
5 Urawa Red Diamonds (2007 Champion) 2 2 4
Gamba Osaka 3 2 5
Adelaide United 0 0 0
3 Kashima Antlers 1 0 1
6 Adelaide United 1 1 2
Adelaide United 3 0 3
Bunyodkor 0 1 1
2 Saipa 2 1 3
7 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. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Al-Karamah 1–4 Gamba Osaka 1–2 0–2
Al Qadisiya 3–4 Urawa Red Diamonds
(2007 Champion)		 3–2 0–2
Kashima Antlers 1–2 Adelaide United 1–1 0–1
Saipa 3–7 Bunyodkor 2–2 1–5

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. 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
Main article: 2008 AFC Champions League Final

The first and second legs of the final were played on 5 and 12 November 2008, respectively.

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Gamba Osaka 5–0 Adelaide United 3–0 2–0

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

References
  1. "article missing". Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
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