New-look Asian Champions League cranks into gear

HONG KONG, Oct 7 (AFP) - The race for the richest prize in Asian club football moves up a gear this week as 26 teams slug it out in the latest qualifying rounds of the AFC Champions League.

Launched in the wake of this year's World Cup, tournament officials hope the new-look competition will capitalise on interest in Asian football generated by Korea-Japan 2002.

Although Asian club competitions have existed for decades, previous incarnations have been hampered by the logistical difficulties involved in staging a tournament involving clubs from countries as far apart as Jordan and Japan.

The AFC has moved to solve that problem with a cash injection of three million dollars in prize money. The winners will receive 500,000 dollars, while money is given to every team taking part as an incentive to compete.

"The World Cup put Asia in the limelight, but we're still in the process of writing a new chapter," Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general secretary Peter Velappan said when the new format was unveiled earlier this year.

"We hope the AFC Champions League will be the jewel in the crown of Asian football," said Velappan, adding that the tournament was aimed at fast-tracking clubs to a more professional structure.

"We know it may not take off like a rocket straight away, but we hope that five years from now ... we will have many more clubs with the kind of structure we see with the J. League sides," Velappan added.

The qualifying rounds in the East and West Asian zones will see four teams from each region join eight teams who have already been seeded into next year's quarter-final group stage.

The quarter-final format will involve 16 teams split into four groups of four, with the group winners advancing to the semi-finals and final.

This week's qualifying action in the East Asian zone sees several of the continent's strongest teams make their entrance.

Korean FA Cup winners Taejon Citizen travel to Macau for their first leg against Monte Carlo, while Japan's Emperor's Cup holders Shimizu S-Pulse entertain New Radiant of the Maldives.

Shimizu have struggled in front of goal this season but have been given a lift by the recent arrival of South Korean World Cup star Ahn Jung-Hwan.

Although Ahn has yet to get off the mark for his new club since being released by Italian side Perugia in the summer, he is certain to cause problems for the islanders when the teams meet on Wednesday.

In other matches in East Asia this week, China's Shanghai Shenhua face an awkward first leg tie away to Indonesian champions Petrokimia

In West Asia, Iran's Esteghlal will be aiming to overcome the absence of young talents who are on duty with the national team at the Asian Games, when they entertain Al Faisaly of Jordan at the 120,000-capacity Azadi Stadium.