Se está disputando la edición 2012 del máximo certamen asiático de clubes, que se jugó por
primera vez en 1967 como "Asian Champion Club Tournament". Participan los principales equipos de
las doce asociaciones mejor rankeadas de Asia (6 del Oeste y 6 del Este).
Un total de 36 equipos formaron parte esta vez, comenzando con dos rondas previas a la fase final
de grupos.
Asian football's two major continental tournaments have reached the knockout stages following
the conclusion of the group stages this week.
The AFC Champions League is usually dominated by South Korean clubs but only two of this year's
four representatives have made it through the group stage.
Former champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Gamba Osaka both registered timely first wins of the
AFC Champions League this week as the Group Stage of the 2012 edition reached the halfway point
with Al Jazira and Al Ittihad maintaining the only 100% records.
Last year's beaten finalists Jeonbuk ended Buriram United's perfect record in Group H as first
half goals from Lee Dong-gook and substitute Seo Sang-min ensured the K-League champions bounced
back from beginning the new continental campaign with back-to-back 5-1 defeats.
Do you remember those Nike Total 90 ads starring Wayne Rooney from some years back? Particularly
the one with the bullseye? Even if Wayne did it on one try, Ali Khaseif of Al Jazira is better at
least one time better. And he's so good he doesn't even need to try to nail the SpiderCam, it just
happens, thus it's entirely possible his father is Stan Lee.
During an Asian Champions League match last night, Al Jazira 'keeper Ali Khaseif managed to ping
a clearance off the 'spider' camera winching away overhead.
The game was duly restarted with a drop-ball, with an Esteghlal player returning the ball to
Khaseif in a sportsmanlike fashion, only for the dead-eye 'keeper to pick out the spider cam
again!
Wrestler Hulk Hogan was a surprise spectator for the AFC Champions League match between Al Jazira and Al Shabab. Hogan was in Abu Dhabi to see the game, with home side Al Jazira being held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabian champions Al Shabab.
