2008 AFC Champions League
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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.
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
Participating clubs
Indonesia were initially allocated two entries as per previous years. However, on 12 December 2007, the AFC awarded one to Thailand and the other one to Vietnam because the Indonesian domestic league and cup tournament wouldn't be completed in time for the start of the tournament. Both Thailand and Vietnam therefore effectively recovered the entries they had lost the previous year.
Notes
- ^ Japan (JPN): 2007 J.League Division 1 runners-up, Urawa Red Diamonds, had already qualified for the AFC Champions League as defending champions.
Group stage
Group A
Source:
12 March 2008
Foolad Shahr Stadium,
IsfahanAttendance: 15,000Referee:
Ben Williams (
Australia)
12 March 2008
Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium,
JeddahAttendance: 7,500Referee:
Yuichi Nishimura (
Japan)
19 March 2008
Aleppo International Stadium,
AleppoAttendance: 41,000Referee:
Abdullah Balideh (
Qatar)
19 March 2008
MHSK Stadium,
TashkentAttendance: 13,000Referee:
Fareed Al Marzouqi (
United Arab Emirates)
9 April 2008
Aleppo International Stadium,
AleppoAttendance: 20,000Referee:
Kim Dong-Jin (
South Korea)
9 April 2008
Azadi Stadium,
TehranAttendance: 6,000Referee:
Sun Baojie (
China)
23 April 2008
MHSK Stadium,
TashkentAttendance: 12,000Referee:
Malik Abdul Bashir (
Singapore)
23 April 2008
Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium,
JeddahAttendance: 4,000Referee:
Saad Kameel Al Fadhli (
Kuwait)
7 May 2008
Aleppo International Stadium,
AleppoAttendance: 4,000Referee:
Naser Al Ghafary (
Jordan)
7 May 2008
MHSK Stadium,
TashkentAttendance: 13,000Referee:
Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (
Malaysia)
21 May 2008
Azadi Stadium,
TehranAttendance: 150Referee:
Abdullah Al Hilali (
Oman)
21 May 2008
Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium,
JeddahAttendance: 600Referee:
Tayeb Hasan Shamsuzzaman (
Bangladesh)
Group B
Source:
12 March 2008
Zabeel Stadium,
DubaiAttendance: 7,500Referee:
Khalil Ibrahim Al Ghamdi (
Saudi Arabia)
12 March 2008
Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium,
Kuwait CityAttendance: 7,000Referee:
Abdulrahman Abdou (
Qatar)
19 March 2008
Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium,
Kuwait CityAttendance: 4,000Referee:
Muhsen Basma (
Syria)
19 March 2008
Enghelab Stadium,
KarajAttendance: 8,000Referee:
Masaaki Iemoto (
Japan)
9 April 2008
Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium,
Kuwait CityAttendance: 1,000Referee:
Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (
Jordan)
9 April 2008
Zabeel Stadium,
DubaiAttendance: 4,622Referee:
Yuichi Nishimura (
Japan)
23 April 2008
Enghelab Stadium,
KarajAttendance: 10,000Referee:
Ravshan Irmatov (
Uzbekistan)
23 April 2008
Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium,
Kuwait CityAttendance: 1,500Referee:
Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (
Oman)
7 May 2008
Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium,
Kuwait CityAttendance: 100Referee:
Tan Hai (
China)
7 May 2008
Enghelab Stadium,
KarajAttendance: 10,000Referee:
Sun Baojie (
China)
21 May 2008
Zabeel Stadium,
DubaiAttendance: 1,500Referee:
Mark Shield (
Australia)
21 May 2008
Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium,
Kuwait CityAttendance: 250Referee:
Masaaki Iemoto (
Japan)
Group C
Source:
12 March 2008
Al Sadd Stadium,
DohaAttendance: 6,000Referee:
Ravshan Irmatov (
Uzbekistan)
12 March 2008
Khaled bin Walid Stadium,
HomsAttendance: 30,000Referee:
Abdullah Al Hilali (
Oman)
19 March 2008
Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium,
JeddahAttendance: 15,000Referee:
Sun Baojie (
China)
19 March 2008
Al-Nahyan Stadium,
Abu DhabiAttendance: 5,500Referee:
Ben Williams (
Australia)
9 April 2008
Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium,
JeddahAttendance: 8,000Referee:
Saad Kameel Al-Fadhli (
Kuwait)
9 April 2008
Al Sadd Stadium,
DohaAttendance: 6,000Referee:
Malik Abdul Bashir (
Singapore)
23 April 2008
Al-Nahyan Stadium,
Abu DhabiAttendance: 5,000Referee:
Mark Shield (
Australia)
23 April 2008
Khaled bin Walid Stadium,
HomsAttendance: 25,000Referee:
Matthew Breeze (
Australia)
7 May 2008
Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium,
JeddahAttendance: 1,500Referee:
Yuichi Nishimura (
Japan)
7 May 2008
Al-Nahyan Stadium,
Abu DhabiAttendance: 6,000Referee:
Kazuhiko Matsumura (
Japan)
21 May 2008
Al Sadd Stadium,
DohaAttendance: 800Referee:
Lee Gi-Young (
South Korea)
21 May 2008
Khaled bin Walid Stadium,
HomsAttendance: 15,000Referee:
Ravshan Irmatov (
Uzbekistan)
Group D
Source:
12 March 2008
MHSK Stadium,
TashkentAttendance: 12,000Referee:
Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (
Malaysia)
12 March 2008
Prince Mohammed Stadium,
ZarqaAttendance: 250Referee:
Talaat Najm (
Lebanon)
19 March 2008
Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium,
Kuwait CityReferee:
Khalil Ibrahim Al Ghamdi (
Saudi Arabia)
19 March 2008
Al-Gharafa Stadium,
DohaAttendance: 2,000Referee:
Lee Gi-Young (
South Korea)
9 April 2008
Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium,
Kuwait CityAttendance: 5,000Referee:
Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (
Oman)
9 April 2008
MHSK Stadium,
TashkentAttendance: 10,000Referee:
Masoud Moradi (
Iran)
23 April 2008
Al-Gharafa Stadium,
DohaAttendance: 1,000Referee:
Hiroyoshi Takayama (
Japan)
23 April 2008
Prince Mohammed Stadium,
ZarqaAttendance: 180Referee:
Mohamed Al Marzouqi (
United Arab Emirates)
7 May 2008
Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium,
Kuwait CityAttendance: 18000Referee:
Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (
Jordan)
7 May 2008
Al-Gharafa Stadium,
DohaAttendance: 200Referee:
Muhsen Basma (
Syria)
21 May 2008
MHSK Stadium,
TashkentAttendance: 3,000Referee: Satop Tongkhan (
Thailand)
21 May 2008
Prince Mohammed Stadium,
ZarqaAttendance: 120Referee:
Hedayat Mombini (
Iran)
Group E
Source:
12 March 2008
Changchun City Stadium,
ChangchunAttendance: 10,000Referee:
Ali Al-Badwawi (
United Arab Emirates)
12 March 2008
Steelyard Stadium,
PohangAttendance: 8,436Referee:
Mohsen Torky (
Iran)
19 March 2008
Gò Đậu Stadium,
Thủ Dầu MộtAttendance: 12,000Referee:
Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (
Jordan)
19 March 2008
Hindmarsh Stadium,
AdelaideAttendance: 10,510Referee:
Hiroyoshi Takayama (
Japan)
9 April 2008
Gò Đậu Stadium,
Thủ Dầu MộtAttendance: 15,000Referee:
Atallah Jatli Al Enezi (
Kuwait)
9 April 2008
Changchun City Stadium,
ChangchunAttendance: 18,000Referee:
Abdulrahman Abdou (
Qatar)
23 April 2008
Hindmarsh Stadium,
AdelaideAttendance: 13,802Referee:
Mohamed Al Hilali (
Oman)
23 April 2008
Steelyard Stadium,
PohangAttendance: 5,468Referee: Satop Tongkhan (
Thailand)
7 May 2008
Gò Đậu Stadium,
Thủ Dầu MộtAttendance: 4,000Referee:
Khalil Ibrahim Al Ghamdi (
Saudi Arabia)
7 May 2008
Hindmarsh Stadium,
AdelaideAttendance: 11,805Referee:
Ravshan Irmatov (
Uzbekistan)
21 May 2008
Steelyard Stadium,
PohangAttendance: 4,571Referee:
Abdulrahman Recho (
Syria)
22 May 2008
Changchun City Stadium,
ChangchunAttendance: 20,000Referee:
Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (
Malaysia)
Group F
Source:
12 March 2008
Chulalongkorn University Sports Stadium,
BangkokAttendance: 2,000Referee:
Muhsen Basma (
Syria)
12 March 2008
Mỹ Đình National Stadium,
Hanoi2Attendance: 600Referee:
Kim Dong-Jin (
South Korea)
19 March 2008
Kashima Soccer Stadium,
KashimaAttendance: 7,087Referee:
Mohamad Mansour (
Lebanon)
19 March 2008
Beijing Fengtai Stadium,
BeijingAttendance: 14,000Referee:
Atallah Jatli (
Kuwait)
9 April 2008
Kashima Soccer Stadium,
KashimaAttendance: 6,487Referee:
Mohsen Torky (
Iran)
9 April 2008
Chulalongkorn University Sports Stadium,
BangkokAttendance: 500Referee:
Hedayat Mombeni (
Iran)
23 April 2008
Beijing Fengtai Stadium,
BeijingAttendance: 16,000Referee:
Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (
Malaysia)
23 April 2008
Mỹ Đình National Stadium,
Hanoi2Attendance: 2,000Referee:
Mohammad Dharman (
Qatar)
7 May 2008
Kashima Soccer Stadium,
KashimaAttendance: 5,540Referee:
Matthew Breeze (
Australia)
7 May 2008
Beijing Fengtai Stadium,
BeijingAttendance: 9,000Referee:
Kadhum Auda (
Iraq)
21 May 2008
Rajamangala Stadium,
BangkokAttendance: 400Referee:
Fareed Ali Mohamed Al Marzouqi (
United Arab Emirates)
21 May 2008
Mỹ Đình National Stadium,
Hanoi2Attendance: 1,200Referee:
Mohamed Omar Al Saeedi (
United Arab Emirates)
Notes
Group G
Source:
12 March 2008
Telstra Dome,
MelbourneAttendance: 24,656Referee:
Malik Abdul Bashir (
Singapore)
12 March 2008
Osaka Expo '70 Stadium,
SuitaAttendance: 7,000Referee:
Hedayat Mombeni (
Iran)
19 March 2008
Gwangyang Stadium,
GwangyangAttendance: 3,000Referee:
Tayeb Hasan Shamsuzzaman (
Bangladesh)
19 March 2008
Suphachalasai Stadium,
Bangkok2Attendance: 10,000Referee:
Kadhum Auda (
Iraq)
9 April 2008
Gwangyang Stadium,
GwangyangAttendance: 500Referee:
Abdullah Al Hilali (
Oman)
9 April 2008
Telstra Dome,
MelbourneAttendance: 26,857Referee:
Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (
Malaysia)
23 April 2008
Suphachalasai Stadium,
Bangkok2Attendance: 10,000Referee:
Tan Hai (
China)
23 April 2008
Osaka Expo '70 Stadium,
SuitaAttendance: 8,132Referee:
Ali Al-Badwawi (
United Arab Emirates)
7 May 2008
Gwangyang Stadium,
GwangyangAttendance: 3,000Referee:
Abdullah Balideh (
Qatar)
7 May 2008
Suphachalasai Stadium,
Bangkok2Attendance: 10,000Referee:
Abdulrahman Abdou (
Qatar)
21 May 2008
Telstra Dome,
MelbourneAttendance: 14,558Referee:
Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (
Jordan)
21 May 2008
Osaka Expo '70 Stadium,
SuitaAttendance: 7,160Referee:
Sun Baojie (
China)
Notes
Knock-out stage
Bracket
Quarter-finals
The first leg matches were played on 17 September, and the second leg matches were played on 24 September 2008.
Semi-finals
The first leg matches were played on 8 October, and the second leg matches were played on 22 October 2008.
Final
The first and second legs of the final were played on 5 and 12 November 2008, respectively.
Top scorers
The top scorers from the 2008 AFC Champions League are as follows:
Fair Play Award
Gamba Osaka
See also
References
External links
| AFC Champions League Elite |
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| Asian Champion Club Tournament era, 1967–1972 | | Seasons |
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| Asian Club Championship era, 1985–2002 | | Seasons |
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| AFC Champions League era, 2002–2024 | | Seasons |
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| Finals |
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| AFC Champions League Elite era, since 2024 | | Seasons |
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| Finals |
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| 2008 in Asian football (AFC) |
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| « 2007 2009 » |
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