2007 AFC Champions League

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.

2007 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
Dates7 March – 14 November 2007
Teams28
Final positions
ChampionsJapan Urawa Red Diamonds (1st title)
Runners-upIran Sepahan
Tournament statistics
Matches played92
Goals scored230 (2.5 per match)
Top scorer(s)Brazil Mota
(7 goals)
Best player(s)Japan Yuichiro Nagai
Fair play awardJapan Urawa Red Diamonds

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
South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Defending champions
Group Stage
Team Qualifying method Team Qualifying method
Iran Esteghlal[Note DSQ] 2005–06 Iran Pro League champions Australia Adelaide United 2005–06 A-League premiers
Iran Sepahan 2005–06 Hazfi Cup winners Australia Sydney FC 2006 A-League Grand Final winners
Iraq Al-Zawraa 2005–06 Iraqi Premier League champions China Shandong Luneng Taishan 2006 Chinese Super League champions &
2006 Chinese FA Cup winners
Iraq Al-Najaf 2005–06 Iraqi Premier League runners-up China Shanghai Shenhua 2006 Chinese Super League runners-up
Kuwait Kuwait SC 2005–06 Kuwaiti Premier League champions Indonesia Persik Kediri 2006 Liga Indonesia Premier Division champions
Kuwait Al-Arabi 2006 Kuwait Emir Cup winners Indonesia Arema Malang 2006 Copa Indonesia winners
Qatar Al Sadd 2005–06 Qatar Stars League champions Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 2006 J.League Division 1 champions &
2006 Emperor's Cup winners
Qatar Al-Rayyan 2005–06 Emir of Qatar Cup winners Japan Kawasaki Frontale 2006 J.League Division 1 runners-up
Saudi Arabia Al Shabab 2005–06 Saudi Premier League champions South Korea Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 2006 K League champions
Saudi Arabia Al Hilal 2005–06 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners South Korea Chunnam Dragons 2006 Korean FA Cup winners
Syria Al-Karamah 2005–06 Syrian Premier League champions Thailand Bangkok University FC 2006 Thailand Premier League champions
Syria Al-Ittihad 2005–06 Syrian Cup winners Vietnam Gach Dong Tam Long An 2006 V-League winners
United Arab Emirates Al Wahda 2005–06 UAE Football League runners-up
United Arab Emirates Al Ain 2005–06 UAE President's Cup winners
Uzbekistan Pakhtakor 2006 Uzbek League champions &
2006 Uzbekistan Cup winners
Uzbekistan 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
    United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 6 4 1 1 13 6 +7 13
    Iraq Al-Zawraa 6 3 2 1 9 6 +3 11
    Kuwait Al-Arabi 6 2 1 3 10 12 2 7
    Qatar Al-Rayyan 6 0 2 4 3 11 8 2
    Source:
    Al-Arabi Kuwait0–1Iraq Al-Zawraa
    (Report) Muslim Mubarak 66'
    Al-Rayyan Qatar0–1United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
    (Report) Mohamed al-Shehhi 81'
    Attendance: 2,000
    Referee: Yang Zhiqiang (China)

    Al-Zawraa Iraq0–0Qatar Al-Rayyan
    (Report)

    Al-Arabi Kuwait1–1Qatar Al-Rayyan
    Jarrah Al Zuhair 60' (Report) Adel Lamy 52'
    Attendance: 7,300
    Referee: Naser Al-Ghafary (Jordan)

    Al-Rayyan Qatar1–3Kuwait 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 United Arab Emirates1–1Iraq Al-Zawraa
    Abdulrahim Jumaa 57' (report) Haidar Sabah 75'
    Attendance: 3,000
    Referee: Jasim Karim (Bahrain)

    Al-Zawraa Iraq3–2Kuwait Al-Arabi
    Wissam Kadhim 21'
    Ahmad Ibrahim 70'
    Nawaf Falah 78'
    (Report) Firas Al Khatib 50', 84'

    Al-Arabi Kuwait3–2United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
    Khaled Abd Al Kudos 6'
    Khaled Khalaf 55'
    Jarrah Al Zuhair 87'
    (Report) Saeed Salem 23'
    Yaser Matar 90'
    Al-Rayyan Qatar1–3Iraq 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
    Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 4 2 2 0 5 1 +4 8
    Uzbekistan Pakhtakor 4 2 0 2 3 5 2 6
    Kuwait Al Kuwait 4 0 2 2 2 4 2 2
    Iran Esteghlal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0[lower-alpha 1]
    Source:
    Notes:
    1. Esteghlal was disqualified for failing to submit their players list in time.

    Al Kuwait Kuwait0–1Uzbekistan Pakhtakor
    (Report) Aleksandr Kletskov 69'
    Attendance: 3,000
    Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)

    Pakhtakor Uzbekistan0–2Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
    (Report) Omar Al-Ghamdi 54'
    Rodrigão 59'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Junjie Huang (China)

    Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia2–0Uzbekistan Pakhtakor
    Rodrigão 30' 90' (pen.) (report)

    Al Kuwait Kuwait0–0Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
    (Report)
    Attendance: 7,000
    Referee: Jasim Karim (Bahrain)

    Group C

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Syria Al-Karamah 6 3 2 1 11 7 +4 11
    Uzbekistan Neftchi 6 3 1 2 6 7 1 10
    Iraq Najaf FC 6 2 2 2 9 8 +1 8
    Qatar Al Sadd 6 1 1 4 6 10 4 4
    Source:
    Al-Karamah Syria2–1Qatar 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 Iraq0–1Uzbekistan Neftchi
    (Report) Kholmatov 71'
    Attendance: 1,500
    Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

    Al Sadd Qatar1–4Iraq Najaf FC
    Talal Al Bloushi 45' (Report) Aqeel Mohammed 47'
    Saeed Mohsen 55' 86' (pen.)
    Karrar Jassim 70'
    Attendance: 1,500

    Al Sadd Qatar2–0Uzbekistan Neftchi
    Khalfan Ibrahim 65'
    Emerson 75'
    (Report)
    Attendance: 2,000
    Referee: Tan Hai (China)
    Al Karamah Syria1–1Iraq Najaf FC
    Fahd Awde 90' (pen.) (Report) Falah Hasan Kadhim 71'
    Attendance: 30,000
    Referee: Jasim Karim (Bahrain)

    Najaf FC Iraq2–4Syria Al-Karamah
    Saeed Mohsen 7' (pen.)
    Qassim Faraj 86' (pen.)
    (Report) Jehad Al Hussein 46', 52'
    Fahd Awde 50'
    Senghor Koupouleni 65'
    Neftchi Uzbekistan2–1Qatar Al Sadd
    Iqboljon Akramov 1'
    Nasim Shoimov 41'
    (Report) Emerson 17'
    Attendance: 14,600
    Referee: Kazuhiko Matsumura (Japan)

    Al Sadd Qatar1–1Syria Al-Karamah
    Ali Nasser 16' (Report) Iyad Mando 44'
    Attendance: 2,000
    Referee: Chaiwat Kunsuta (Thailand)
    Neftchi Uzbekistan1–1Iraq Najaf FC
    Kholmatov 43' (Report) Ali Mohammed 60'
    Attendance: 16,000

    Al-Karamah Syria2–0Uzbekistan Neftchi
    Iyad Mando 12', 50' (Report)
    Attendance: 35,000
    Referee: Ali Al Mutlaq (Saudi Arabia)
    Najaf FC Iraq1–0Qatar Al Sadd
    Saeed Mohsen 78' (Report)
    Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mugjhef (Jordan)

    Group D

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Iran Sepahan 6 4 1 1 12 5 +7 13
    Saudi Arabia Al-Shabab 6 3 1 2 9 3 +6 10
    United Arab Emirates Al Ain 6 1 3 2 5 8 3 6
    Syria Al-Ittihad 6 0 3 3 3 13 10 3

    Al-Ittihad Syria0–0United Arab Emirates Al Ain
    (Report)
    Attendance: 15,000
    Referee: Alaa Abdul-Kadir Nema (Iraq)

    Al-Shabab Saudi Arabia4–0Syria Al-Ittihad
    Abdullah Al Dosari 35', 48'
    Naji Majrashi 60' (pen.)
    Waleed Al-Gizanii 79'
    (Report)
    Al Ain United Arab Emirates3–2Iran 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 Syria1–1Saudi Arabia Al-Shabab
    Ammar Rihawi 36' (Report) Ahmed Ateef 65'

    Al-Shabab Saudi Arabia2–0United Arab Emirates Al Ain
    Abdullah Al Astaa 59'
    Waleed Al-Gizani 88'
    (Report)

    Al Ain United Arab Emirates1–1Syria 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
    Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 6 2 4 0 9 5 +4 10
    Australia Sydney FC 6 2 3 1 8 5 +3 9
    Indonesia Persik Kediri 6 2 1 3 6 16 10 7
    China Shanghai Shenhua 6 1 2 3 7 4 +3 5
    Source:

    Persik Kediri Indonesia1–0China Shanghai Shenhua
    Bertha Yuana Putra 71' (Report)
    Attendance: 5,000
    Referee: Abdulhameed Ebrahim (Bahrain)

    Urawa Red Diamonds Japan1–0China Shanghai Shenhua
    Yuki Abe 45' (Report)
    Attendance: 28,828
    Referee: Masoud Moradi (Iran)
    Persik Kediri Indonesia2–1Australia Sydney FC
    Aris Budi Prasetyo 25'
    Budi Sudarsono 70'
    (Report) Steve Corica 8'

    Shanghai Shenhua China0–0Japan Urawa Red Diamonds
    (Report)
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)
    Sydney FC Australia3–0Indonesia Persik Kediri
    Steve Corica 54', 90'
    Alex Brosque 73'
    (Report)
    Attendance: 10,075
    Referee: Minh Tri Vo (Vietnam)

    Sydney FC Australia0–0China Shanghai Shenhua
    (Report 1 2)
    Attendance: 14,786
    Referee: Abdul Bashir (Singapore)

    Shanghai Shenhua China6–0Indonesia 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
    Japan Kawasaki Frontale 6 5 1 0 15 4 +11 16
    South Korea Chunnam Dragons 6 3 1 2 7 8 1 10
    Indonesia Arema Malang 6 1 1 4 2 9 7 4
    Thailand Bangkok University 6 0 3 3 4 7 3 3
    Source:
    Arema Malang Indonesia1–3Japan Kawasaki Frontale
    Elie Aiboy 12' (Report) Magnum 1', 73'
    Kengo Nakamura 82'
    Attendance: 30,000
    Referee: Naser Al-Ghafary (Jordan)

    Chunnam Dragons South Korea2–0Indonesia Arema Malang
    Kim Tae-Su 48'
    Sandro Cardoso 82'
    (Report)
    Attendance: 3,000
    Referee: Huang Junjie (China)

    Bangkok University Thailand0–0Indonesia Arema Malang
    (Report)
    Attendance: 1,500
    Referee: Kadyrbek Chynybekov (Kyrgyzstan)


    Chunnam Dragons South Korea3–2Thailand 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 Japan3–0Indonesia Arema Malang
    Kengo Nakamura 4', 70'
    Taku Harada 80'
    (Report)
    Attendance: 9,453
    Referee: Minh Tri Vo (Vietnam)

    Bangkok University Thailand1–2Japan Kawasaki Frontale
    Ekkaphan Petvises 40' (Report) Taku Harada 17'
    Takahisa Nishiyama 63'
    Arema Malang Indonesia0–1South Korea 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
    South Korea Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 6 4 1 1 13 6 +7 13
    China Shandong Luneng Taishan 6 4 1 1 12 8 +4 13
    Australia Adelaide United 6 2 2 2 9 6 +3 8
    Vietnam Gach Dong Tam Long An 6 0 0 6 4 18 14 0
    Source:
    Adelaide United Australia0–1China Shandong Luneng Taishan
    (Report) Michael Valkanis 47' (o.g.)
    Attendance: 7,645
    Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)
    Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma South Korea4–1Vietnam 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)





    Adelaide United Australia3–0Vietnam Gach Dong Tam Long An
    Travis Dodd 7', 22', 49' (Report)
    Attendance: 6,917
    Referee: Abdul Bashir (Singapore)

    Knock-out stage

    Bracket

    Quarter finals Semi-finals Final
                
    Iran Sepahan (p) 0 0 0 (5)
    Japan Kawasaki Frontale 0 0 0 (4)
    Iran Sepahan 3 0 3
    United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 1 0 1
    United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda (a) 0 1 1
    Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal 0 1 1
    Iran Sepahan 1 0 1
    Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1 2 3
    South Korea Seognam Ilhwa Chunma 2 2 4
    Syria Al-Karamah 1 0 1
    South Korea Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 2 2 4 (3)
    Japan Urawa Red Diamonds (p) 2 2 4 (5)
    Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 2 2 4
    South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1 0 1

    Quarter-finals

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

    First leg

    Sepahan Iran0–0Japan Kawasaki Frontale
    Report
    Attendance: 25,000
    Referee: Jasim Karim (Bahrain)

    Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates0–0Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal
    Report
    Attendance: 12,000

    Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma South Korea2–1Syria Al-Karamah
    Kim Min-ho 72'
    Cho Byung-Kuk 74'
    Report Senghor Koupouleni 9'
    Attendance: 1,300
    Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

    Urawa Red Diamonds Japan2–1South Korea 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 Iran 3–1 United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda 3–1 0–0
    Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma South Korea 4–4 (3–5p) Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 2–2 2–2 (a.e.t.)

    First leg


    Sepahan Iran3–1United Arab Emirates Al-Wahda
    Mahmoud Karimi 11', 58'
    Moharram Navidkia 85' (pen.)
    Report Mohamed Al Shehhi 48'
    Referee: Abdul Bashir (Singapore)

    Second leg

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

    Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates0–0Iran 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 Iran 1–3 Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1–1 0–2

    First leg

    Second leg

    Urawa Red Diamonds Japan2–0Iran Sepahan
    Yuichiro Nagai 22'
    Yuki Abe 71'
    Report
    • Urawa Red Diamonds win 3–1 on aggregate

    Top scorers

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

    See also

    References

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