Asian football history will be made this Wednesday with South Korea at the heart of it all. The
Land of the Morning Calm is supplying 50% of the eight teams still involved in the Asian Champions
League as the continental competition resumes at the quarterfinal stage after a break of four
months.
Much has happened since the second round came to a close in May, not least the 2010 World Cup.
Problems are mounting for the defending Australian champions Sydney FC having played six games
in the 2010-11 season thus far. The club has failed to win a single game in that time and for coach
Vítězslav Lavička the current run of bad form is a growing concern especially as his team had
high expectations to retain the title they won in dramatic fashion in 2009-10.
Eight teams remain in the AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League, Asia's elite football competition, is back in action after a four
month holiday and it proved to be a mixed bag for the South Korean quartet who make up half of the
quarter-final draw. In the AFC Cup, the secondary competition equivalent to the UEFA Europa League
or Copa Sudamericana, Middle Eastern clubs continue to dominate with five teams from that region
remaining in the tournament whilst the other three quarter-finalists hail from the south east of
the continent.
Defending champions Pohang Steelers have been knocked out of the AFC Champions League by Iranian
side Zob Ahan after they could only draw their home second leg 1-1 after going down to a 2-1 defeat
seven days ago, thus losing 3-2 on aggregate. This and all the remaining games in this competiton
and the AFC Cup are reviewed here on Stoppage Time International Football Blog.
In South Korea Suwon Bluewings and Buson I'Park won their KFA Cup semi-finals after hard fought
encounters with Jeju United and Chunnam Dragons respectively. In Japan the J-League Cup has reached
its final four stage and the first legs of the semi-finals were played today. Sanfrecce Hiroshima
and Kawasaki Frontale hold the advantage after they defeated their opponents Shimuzu S-Pulse and
Jubilo Iwata respectively.
