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AFC - Chinese league champions Shenzhen
Jianlibao have been handed a tough assignment in next year's AFC Champions
League after being drawn against Japanese cracks Jubilo Iwata.
Shenzhen will also play either Suwon Bluewings or Pohang Steelers who meet
later this week in the two-leg decider for the Korean League title. Vietnam
champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai are the other team in a tricky Group E.
With just the winners of the seven groups going through to the
quarter-finals to join recently-crowned 2004 champions Al Ittihad of Saudi
Arabia, Shenzhen have a big task on their hands.
Al Ittihad took the title thanks to a magnificent 5-0 away victory over
Seongnam Ilwha Chunma of Korea Republic last week. The Saudis had looked to
be down and out after losing the home leg 3-1 but a rousing performance in
Korea saw them lift the trophy.
The other groups in East Asia will become clearer in the next month as cup
and league competitions come to a conclusion.
The winners of the China FA Cup showdown between Sichuan Guancheng and
Shandong Luneng will meet either Yokohama F Marinos or Urawa Reds of Japan.
Yokohama take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of the J.League Championship on
Saturday.
BEC Tero Sasana of Thailand, who reached the final of the first AFC
Champions League in 2003, and as yet undecided Indonesia side make up Group
F.
Al Ain of the UAE, champions in 2003, have been drawn to meet Iran's
Sepahan, Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia and this year's AFC Cup runners-up Al
Wahda of Syria.
Syria were awarded two spots in the AFC Champions League after both their
representatives reached the final of the AFC Cup.
Winners Al Jaish will face Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan, beaten semi-finalists in
both editions of the AFC Champions League, Iraq's Al Zawra'a and Al Ahli of
Saudi Arabia.
AFC General Secretary Dato' Peter Velappan said at the draw on Tuesday that
the AFC Champions League was proving a great success.
"The AFC Champions League is the flagship tournament in Asia and more than
600,000 spectators watched the games this year," he said.
"The final was an epic which proved the unpredictability of football. It
seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Seongnam Ilwha were going to take
the title after beating Al Ittihad 3-1 in Saudi Arabia but they were outrun
and outplayed in the second leg at home."
2005 AFC Champions League draw
West Asia
Group A: Pas (Iran), Al Shorta (Iraq), Al Salmia (Kuwait), Al Rayyan
(Qatar)
Group B: Al Ain (UAE), Sepahan (Iran), Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia), Al
Wahda (Syria)
Group C: Neftchi Fergana (Uzbekistan), Al Ahli (UAE), Al Sadd (Qatar), Al
Kuwait (Kuwait)
Group D: Al Zawra'a (Iraq), Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan), Al Jaish (Syria), Al
Ahli (Saudi Arabia)
East Asia
Group E : Shenzhen Jianlibao (China), Korea League champions, Hoang Anh Gia
Lai (Vietnam), Jubilo Iwata (Japan)
Group F: BEC Tero Sasana (Thailand), China FA Cup winners, Japan League
winners, Indonesia representatives B
Group G: Korea Cup winners, Krung Thai Bank (Thailand), Indonesia
representatives A, Binh Dinh (Vietnam)
Note: Group matches start on March 9, 2005. Group winners and 2004 champions
Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia progress to quarter-finals. |
