November 28 – With five of the eight rounds of the league stage of the revamped AFC Champions League Elite completed, clear leaders are forcing their way to the top in the East and West regions, but the battle for the eight qualifying slots in each region is fierce.
In the East three Japanese sides are in the top four of the table. Vissel Kobe clinched a 3-2 win over second-bottom side Central Coast Mariners, to maintain a one-point lead over South Korea’s Guangju FC.
Ryuho Kikuchi put Vissel Kobe ahead just before the break while Storm Roux’s own goal had the Japanese side seemingly cruising but Australia’s Mariners drew a lifeline when Hotaru Yamaguchi netted into his own net in the 54th minute.
Bailey Brandtman drew Mariners level in the 74th but Vissel kept pushing and were rewarded with the winner from Daiju Sasaki in the 81st.
Gwangju FC’s Jasir Asani scored his seventh in the Champions League this season to keep the South Koreans, the emerging side of this season’s competition, just a point behind Vissel.
The Albanian striker came off the bench to make an immediate impact against China’s Shanghai Shenhua FC, scoring with his first touch what proved to be the only goal of the game in the 57th minute.
With five clubs on seven points (placed 6 to 10), and the tenth place club, FC Pohang Steelers on six points, the battle for the eight berths into the
Three of the clubs on seven points are from China, marking a competitive resurgence for the country, one of Asia’s sleeping giants.
Toney and Ronaldo deliver at double time
Ivan Toney came off the bench to score twice and give Al-Ahli a 2-1 win over Al-Ain and guaranteeing the Saudi Arabian a place in the knockout rounds and leaving the defending champions in danger of missing out on the last 16.
Toney came on in the 65th minute at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium and hit both his goals in a four-minute spell to give Al-Ahli a fifth consecutive win.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in Al-Nassr’s 3-1 win over their Qatari hosts Al-Gharafa to keep them just two points their fellow Saudi’s while third spot is held by another Saudi club Al Nassr.
In a league of two halves, there are five points separating Qatari clubs Al Sadd in fifth and Al-Rayyan in sixth.
Iran’s giants Esteghlal drew 0-0 with Pakhtakor from Uzbekistan, while Persepolis were also held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Rayyan in Doha.
Both Iranian teams are in a group of five separated by just one point with three games left to play.
The Asian Champions League Elite returns in March next year for the final three league rounds.
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