2008 AFC Champions League

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.

2008 AFC Champions League
Tournament details
Dates12 March - 12 November 2008
Teams29
Final positions
Champions Gamba Osaka (1st title)
Runners-up Adelaide United
Tournament statistics
Matches played98
Goals scored275 (2.81 per match)
Top scorer(s) Nantawat Thansopa
(9 goals)
Best player(s) Yasuhito Endō

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.

West Asia East Asia
Quarter-finals
Team Qualifying method Team Qualifying method
Urawa Red Diamonds Defending champions
Group Stage
Team Qualifying method Team Qualifying method
Saipa 2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup champions Melbourne Victory 2006–07 A-League premiers &
2007 A-League Grand Final winners
Sepahan 2006–07 Hazfi Cup winners Adelaide United 2006–07 A-League regular season runners-up
Erbil SC 2006–07 Iraqi Premier League champions Changchun Yatai 2007 Chinese Super League champions
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2006–07 Iraqi Premier League runners-up Beijing Guoan 2007 Chinese Super League runners-up
Kuwait SC 2006–07 Kuwaiti Premier League champions Kashima Antlers 2007 J.League Division 1 champions &
2007 Emperor's Cup winners
Al Qadisiya 2007 Kuwait Emir Cup winners Gamba Osaka 2007 J.League Division 1 third-place[Note JPN]
Al Sadd 2006–07 Qatar Stars League champions &
2006–07 Emir of Qatar Cup winners		 Pohang Steelers 2007 K League champions
Al-Gharafa 2006–07 Qatar Stars League runners-up Chunnam Dragons 2007 Korean FA Cup winners
Al-Ittihad 2006–07 Saudi Premier League champions Chonburi FC 2007 Thailand Premier League champions
Al Ahli 2006–07 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners Krung Thai Bank FC 2007 Thailand Premier League runners-up
Al-Karamah 2006–07 Syrian Premier League champions &
2006–07 Syrian Cup winners		 Bình Dương 2007 V-League champions
Al-Ittihad 2006–07 Syrian Premier League runners-up Nam Định 2007 Vietnamese Cup winners
Al Wasl 2006–07 UAE Football League champions &
2006–07 UAE President's Cup winners
Al Wahda 2006–07 UAE Football League runners-up
Pakhtakor 2007 Uzbek League champions &
2007 Uzbekistan Cup winners
FC Bunyodkor 2007 Uzbek League runners-up
Notes
    1. ^
      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

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Bunyodkor 6 4 1 1 8 2 +6 13
    Al-Ittihad 6 3 0 3 6 5 +1 9
    Sepahan 6 2 1 3 5 8 −3 7
    Al-Ittihad 6 2 0 4 4 8 −4 6
    Source:
    Sepahan 0–2 Al-Ittihad
    Report Jésus Gomez 21'
    Al Agha 87'
    Attendance: 15,000
    Al-Ittihad 1–0 Bunyodkor
    Magno Alves 80' Report
    Attendance: 7,500
    Al-Ittihad 0–1 Al-Ittihad
    Report Magno Alves 78'
    Attendance: 41,000
    Bunyodkor 2–0 Sepahan
    Bakayev 61'
    Kapadze 80'    		 Report
    Attendance: 13,000
    Referee: Fareed Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates)
    Al-Ittihad 0–2 Bunyodkor
    Report Hasanov 50'
    Kapadze 65'
    Attendance: 20,000
    Sepahan 2–1 Al-Ittihad
    Seyed Salehi 59'
    Aghily 71'    		 Report Al-Meshal 89'
    Attendance: 6,000
    Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
    Bunyodkor 1–0 Al-Ittihad
    Kapadze 29' Report
    Attendance: 12,000
    Al-Ittihad 0–1 Sepahan
    Report Mohammed 70'
    Attendance: 4,000
    Al-Ittihad 2–1 Sepahan
    Laurens 61'
    Jésus Gomez 64'    		 Report Aghily 48'
    Attendance: 4,000
    Referee: Naser Al Ghafary (Jordan)
    Bunyodkor 2–0 Al-Ittihad
    Soliev 10'
    Djeparov 38'    		 Report
    Attendance: 13,000
    Sepahan 1–1 Bunyodkor
    Ali Mohammadi 2' Report Gochguliev 72'
    Attendance: 150
    Al-Ittihad 3–0 Al-Ittihad
    Al-Nemri 30', 50'
    Hazazi 42'    		 Report
    Attendance: 600

    Group B

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Saipa 6 3 3 0 7 3 +4 12
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 6 2 2 2 5 5 0 8
    Al Wasl 6 2 1 3 5 7 −2 7
    Al Kuwait 6 1 2 3 4 6 −2 5
    Source:
    Al Wasl 0–1 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
    Report Alwan 32'
    Attendance: 7,500
    Al Kuwait 1–1 Saipa
    Ajab 44' Report Zaynadpour 66'
    Attendance: 7,000
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 0–0 Al Kuwait
    Report
    Attendance: 4,000
    Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
    Saipa 2–0 Al Wasl
    Traoré 45'
    Ansarifard 57'    		 Report
    Attendance: 8,000
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 0–1 Saipa
    Report Vaziri 45+1'
    Attendance: 1,000
    Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
    Al Wasl 1–0 Al Kuwait
    Hassan 75' Report
    Attendance: 4,622
    Saipa 1–1 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
    Rahmati 63' (pen.) Report Ayad 71'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Al Kuwait 2–1 Al Wasl
    Ajab 10'
    Al Awadhi 42'    		 Report Ali 4' (pen.)
    Attendance: 1,500
    Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 1–2 Al Wasl
    Kamil 69' Report Al-Enazi 49'
    Oliveira 64'
    Attendance: 100
    Referee: Tan Hai (China)
    Saipa 1–0 Al Kuwait
    Rahmati 24' Report
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
    Al Wasl 1–1 Saipa
    André Dias 90+2' Report Traoré 21'
    Attendance: 1,500
    Al Kuwait 1–2 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
    Ajab 22' Report Kadhim 17'
    Abdul-Mohsen 48'
    Attendance: 250

    Group C

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Al-Karamah 6 3 2 1 8 3 +5 11
    Al-Wahda 6 2 3 1 6 7 −1 9
    Al-Sadd 6 1 3 2 6 8 −2 6
    Al-Ahli 6 0 4 2 5 7 −2 4
    Source:
    Al-Sadd 2–1 Al-Ahli
    Emerson 6'
    Felipe 26'    		 Report Val Baiano 73'
    Attendance: 6,000
    Al-Karamah 4–1 Al-Wahda
    Esmaeel 3'
    Chaabo 27', 48'
    Al Hamwi 80'    		 Report Al Shehhi 83'
    Attendance: 30,000
    Al-Ahli 1–1 Al-Karamah
    Al Thagafi 15' Report Al Hamwi 44'
    Attendance: 15,000
    Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
    Al-Wahda 2–2 Al-Sadd
    Pinga 17'
    Al Shehhi 85'    		 Report Tenorio 44'
    Emerson 71'
    Attendance: 5,500
    Al-Ahli 0–0 Al-Wahda
    Report
    Attendance: 8,000
    Al-Sadd 0–2 Al-Karamah
    Report Al Hamwi 69'
    Jenyat 73'
    Attendance: 6,000
    Al-Wahda 2–1 Al-Ahli
    Josiel 35', 84' Report Al Gizani 81'
    Attendance: 5,000
    Al-Karamah 1–0 Al-Sadd
    Jenyat 78' Report
    Attendance: 25,000
    Al-Ahli 2–2 Al-Sadd
    Taher Zakaria 28' (o.g.)
    Sulimani 42' (pen.)    		 Report Gholam 32' (pen.)
    Ahmed 50'
    Attendance: 1,500
    Al-Wahda 1–0 Al-Karamah
    Al Shehhi 90' Report
    Attendance: 6,000
    Referee: Kazuhiko Matsumura (Japan)
    Al-Sadd 0–0 Al-Wahda
    Report
    Attendance: 800
    Al-Karamah 0–0 Al-Ahli
    Report
    Attendance: 15,000

    Group D

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Al Qadisiya 6 3 2 1 8 7 +1 11
    Pakhtakor 6 3 2 1 13 6 +7 11
    Erbil 6 2 2 2 8 11 −3 8
    Al-Gharafa 6 0 2 4 3 8 −5 2
    Source:
    Pakhtakor 0–1 Al Qadisiya
    Report Ajab 90+1'
    Attendance: 12,000
    Erbil 1–1 Al-Gharafa
    Muslim Mubarak 61' Report Araújo 13'
    Attendance: 250
    Referee: Talaat Najm (Lebanon)
    Al Qadisiya 1–1 Erbil
    Al Salama 81' Alwan 28' (pen.)
    Al-Gharafa 2–2 Pakhtakor
    Mahmoud 57'
    Araújo 65'    		 Report Aliqulov 68'
    F. Tadjiyev 78'
    Attendance: 2,000
    Al Qadisiya 1–0 Al-Gharafa
    Ajab 62' Report
    Attendance: 5,000
    Referee: Mahmood Al Ghatrifi (Oman)
    Pakhtakor 2–0 Erbil
    Kholmatov 47'
    Geynrikh 52' (pen.)    		 Report
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Masoud Moradi (Iran)
    Al-Gharafa 0–1 Al Qadisiya
    Report Al-Mutwa 89'
    Attendance: 1,000
    Erbil 1–5 Pakhtakor
    Sabah 19' Report Siamand 38' (o.g.)
    Kuziboyev 69'
    Marković 73'
    Geynrikh 81'
    Kholmatov 90+3'
    Attendance: 180
    Referee: Mohamed Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates)
    Al Qadisiya 2–2 Pakhtakor
    Ajab 20'
    Al Salama 45' (pen.)    		 Report Ahmedov 36'
    Z. Tadjiyev 81'
    Attendance: 18000
    Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
    Al-Gharafa 0–1 Erbil
    Report Alwan 29'
    Attendance: 200
    Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
    Pakhtakor 2–0 Al-Gharafa
    Z. Tadjiyev 19'
    Ahmedov 88' (pen.)    		 Report
    Attendance: 3,000
    Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)
    Erbil 4–2 Al Qadisiya
    Salah 52', 70', 79'
    Alwan 89'    		 Report Al Shammari 23'
    Al-Kandri 34'
    Attendance: 120
    Referee: Hedayat Mombini (Iran)

    Group E

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Adelaide United 6 4 2 0 9 2 +7 14
    Changchun Yatai 6 3 3 0 10 3 +7 12
    Pohang Steelers 6 1 2 3 6 7 −1 5
    Bình Dương 6 0 1 5 4 17 −13 1
    Source:
    Changchun Yatai 2–1 Bình Dương
    Du Zhenyu 4'
    Cui Wei 70'    		 Report Nguyễn Anh Đức 53'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Pohang Steelers 0–2 Adelaide United
    Report Cornthwaite 3'
    Djite 59'
    Attendance: 8,436
    Referee: Mohsen Torky (Iran)
    Bình Dương 1–4 Pohang Steelers
    Robson 11' (pen.) Report Denilson 49' (pen.), 58' (pen.)
    Kim Jae-sung 56'
    Choi Hyo-jin 64'
    Attendance: 12,000
    Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
    Adelaide United 0–0 Changchun Yatai
    Report
    Attendance: 10,510
    Bình Dương 1–2 Adelaide United
    Philani 85' Report Diego 10'
    Alagich 78'
    Attendance: 15,000
    Referee: Atallah Jatli Al Enezi (Kuwait)
    Changchun Yatai 1–0 Pohang Steelers
    Dah Zadi 86' Report
    Attendance: 18,000
    Adelaide United 4–1 Bình Dương
    Pantelis 56'
    Dodd 58', 62'
    Diego 77'    		 Report Phạm Minh Đức 65'
    Attendance: 13,802
    Referee: Mohamed Al Hilali (Oman)
    Pohang Steelers 2–2 Changchun Yatai
    Hwang Jae-won 64'
    Hwang Jin-sung 90'    		 Report Wang Dong 35'
    Du Zhenyu 70'
    Attendance: 5,468
    Referee: Satop Tongkhan (Thailand)
    Bình Dương 0–5 Changchun Yatai
    Report Wang Bo 2', 37'
    Dah Zadi 13'
    Yan Feng 78'
    Caballero 90' (pen.)
    Attendance: 4,000
    Pohang Steelers 0–0 Bình Dương
    Report
    Attendance: 4,571
    Referee: Abdulrahman Recho (Syria)

    Group F

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Kashima Antlers 6 5 0 1 28 3 +25 15
    Beijing Guoan 6 4 0 2 14 9 +5 12
    Krung Thai Bank 6 2 1 3 20 27 −7 7
    Nam Định 6 0 1 5 4 27 −23 1
    Source:
    Krung Thai Bank 1–9 Kashima Antlers
    Kone 64' Report Tashiro 15', 50'
    Iwamasa 21'
    Nozawa 34', 90+2'
    Marquinhos 47', 69', 71'
    Sasaki 73'
    Attendance: 2,000
    Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
    Nam Dinh 1–3 Beijing Guoan
    Lê Văn Duyệt 14' Report Yan Xiangchuang 57', 90+1'
    Du Wenhui 60'
    Attendance: 600
    Kashima Antlers 6–0 Nam Dinh
    Motoyama 25', 48'
    Marquinhos 58', 67'
    Tashiro 73'
    Danilo 90+2'    		 Report
    Attendance: 7,087
    Referee: Mohamad Mansour (Lebanon)
    Beijing Guoan 4–2 Krung Thai Bank
    Du Wenhui 39', 73'
    Martínez 51', 75'    		 Report Thansopa 58'
    Pichitchotirat 63'
    Attendance: 14,000
    Referee: Atallah Jatli (Kuwait)
    Kashima Antlers 1–0 Beijing Guoan
    Danilo 52' Report
    Attendance: 6,487
    Referee: Mohsen Torky (Iran)
    Krung Thai Bank 9–1 Nam Dinh
    Kone 4', 44', 90+1', 90+2'
    Thansopa 8', 46', 59'
    Choeichiu 64'
    Wongsuparuk 70'    		 Report Trần Đức Dương 64'
    Attendance: 500
    Referee: Hedayat Mombeni (Iran)
    Beijing Guoan 1–0 Kashima Antlers
    Tiago 41' Report
    Attendance: 16,000
    Nam Dinh 2–2 Krung Thai Bank
    Hoàng Ngọc Linh 2', 47' Report Thansopa 21'
    Choeichiu 90'
    Attendance: 2,000
    Referee: Mohammad Dharman (Qatar)
    Kashima Antlers 8–1 Krung Thai Bank
    Iwamasa 19'
    Koroki 21'
    Tashiro 45'
    Nozawa 46', 66'
    Ogasawara 50'
    Danilo 74', 83'    		 Report Pichitchotirat 90'
    Attendance: 5,540
    Beijing Guoan 3–0 Nam Dinh
    Guo Hui 14' (pen.)
    Yang Hao 32', 78'    		 Report
    Attendance: 9,000
    Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)
    Krung Thai Bank 5–3 Beijing Guoan
    Thansopa 10', 44', 49', 69' (pen.)
    Pichitchotirat 27'    		 Report Tiago 67' (pen.), 70', 77' (pen.)
    Attendance: 400
    Referee: Fareed Ali Mohamed Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates)
    Nam Dinh 0–4 Kashima Antlers
    Report Tashiro 27'
    Koroki 47'
    Motoyama 75'
    Danilo 87'
    Attendance: 1,200
    Referee: Mohamed Omar Al Saeedi (United Arab Emirates)
    Notes

    Group G

    Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Gamba Osaka 6 4 2 0 14 8 +6 14
    Melbourne Victory 6 2 1 3 10 11 −1 7
    Chunnam Dragons 6 1 3 2 8 10 −2 6
    Chonburi 6 1 2 3 7 10 −3 5
    Source:
    Melbourne Victory 2–0 Chunnam Dragons
    Muscat 28' (pen.)
    Vargas 66'    		 Report
    Attendance: 24,656
    Gamba Osaka 1–1 Chonburi
    Lucas 90+4' Report Sunthornpit 59'
    Attendance: 7,000
    Referee: Hedayat Mombeni (Iran)
    Chunnam Dragons 3–4 Gamba Osaka
    Simões 4'
    Kim Tae-su 27', 60' (pen.)    		 Report Futagawa 30'
    Bando 53', 75'
    Yasuda 58'
    Attendance: 3,000
    Chonburi 3–1 Melbourne Victory
    Ney Fabiano 45'
    Baga 79', 90+5'    		 Report Allsopp 57'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)
    Chunnam Dragons 1–0 Chonburi
    Simões 90' Report
    Attendance: 500
    Melbourne Victory 3–4 Gamba Osaka
    Allsopp 4', 65'
    Vargas 41'    		 Report Futagawa 31'
    Baré 38'
    Yamaguchi 68'
    Lucas 89'
    Attendance: 26,857
    Chonburi 2–2 Chunnam Dragons
    On-Mo 56'
    Jinta 88'    		 Report Jeong Jun-yeon 5'
    Kim Myung-woon 48'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Tan Hai (China)
    Chunnam Dragons 1–1 Melbourne Victory
    Ko Ki-gu 37' Report Pondeljak 4'
    Attendance: 3,000
    Chonburi 0–2 Gamba Osaka
    Report Yamazaki 64'
    Lucas 76'
    Attendance: 10,000
    Melbourne Victory 3–1 Chonburi
    Muscat 56'
    Thompson 65'
    Hernández 77'    		 Report Ney Fabiano 55'
    Attendance: 14,558
    Referee: Salem Mahmoud Mujghef (Jordan)
    Gamba Osaka 1–1 Chunnam Dragons
    Futagawa 75' Report Yoo Hong-youl 86' (pen.)
    Attendance: 7,160
    Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
    Notes

    Knock-out stage
    Main article: 2008 AFC Champions League knockout stage

    Bracket
    Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                   
    1 Al-Karamah 1 0 1
    8 Gamba Osaka 2 2 4
    Gamba Osaka 1 3 4
    Urawa Red Diamonds 1 1 2
    4 Al Qadisiya 3 0 3
    5 Urawa Red Diamonds (2007 Champion) 2 2 4
    Gamba Osaka 3 2 5
    Adelaide United 0 0 0
    3 Kashima Antlers 1 0 1
    6 Adelaide United 1 1 2
    Adelaide United 3 0 3
    Bunyodkor 0 1 1
    2 Saipa 2 1 3
    7 Bunyodkor 2 5 7

    Quarter-finals

    The first leg matches were played on 17 September, and the second leg matches were played on 24 September 2008.

    Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
    Al-Karamah 1–4 Gamba Osaka 1–2 0–2
    Al Qadisiya 3–4 Urawa Red Diamonds
    (2007 Champion)    		 3–2 0–2
    Kashima Antlers 1–2 Adelaide United 1–1 0–1
    Saipa 3–7 Bunyodkor 2–2 1–5

    Semi-finals

    The first leg matches were played on 8 October, and the second leg matches were played on 22 October 2008.

    Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
    Gamba Osaka 4–2 Urawa Red Diamonds 1–1 3–1
    Adelaide United 3–1 Bunyodkor 3–0 0–1

    Final
    Main article: 2008 AFC Champions League Final

    The first and second legs of the final were played on 5 and 12 November 2008, respectively.

    Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
    Gamba Osaka 5–0 Adelaide United 3–0 2–0

    Top scorers

    The top scorers from the 2008 AFC Champions League are as follows:

    Rank Player Club Goals
    1 Nantawat Thansopa Krung Thai Bank 9
    2 Lucas Gamba Osaka 6
    3 Marquinhos Kashima Antlers 5
    Masato Yamazaki Gamba Osaka
    Kone Kassim Krung Thai Bank
    Yuzo Tashiro Kashima Antlers
    Danilo Kashima Antlers
    8 Takuya Nozawa Kashima Antlers 4
    Tiago Beijing Guoan
    Villanueva Bunyodkor
    Diego Walsh Adelaide United

    Fair Play Award

    Gamba Osaka

    See also

    References
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