2008 AFC Champions League

2008 AFC Champions League

Tournament details
Dates	March 2008 - November 2008
Teams	29
Final positions
Champions	Gamba Osaka
Runners-up	Adelaide United
Tournament statistics
Matches played	98
Goals scored	275 (2.81 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Nantawat Thansopa (9 goals)
Best player	Yasuhito Endō (Gamba Osaka)

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.

Participating clubs

Along with the defending champion, Urawa Red Diamonds, 28 other clubs from fourteen countries qualified based on performance in domestic league and cup competitions. Urawa Red Diamonds entered the competition at the quarter-finals. The draw for group stage took place on 12 December 2007.

Defending Champions (1)
Japan (1)	Urawa Red Diamonds (2007 AFC Champions League winners)
East Asia & ASEAN (12)
Australia (2)	Melbourne Victory (2006–07 A-League premiers and 2007 A-League Grand Final winners) Adelaide United (2006–07 A-League regular season runners-up)
China (2)	Changchun Yatai (2007 Chinese Super League champions) Beijing Guoan (2007 Chinese Super League runners-up)
Indonesia (0)†
Japan (2)	Kashima Antlers (2007 J. League Division 1 champions and 2007–08 Emperor's Cup winners) Gamba Osaka (2007 J. League Division 1 third place)
Korea Republic (2)	Pohang Steelers (2007 K-League champions) Chunnam Dragons (2007 Korean FA Cup winners)
Thailand (2)†	Chonburi FC (2007 Thailand Premier League champions) Krung Thai Bank FC (2007 Thailand Premier League runners-up)
Vietnam (2)†	Bình Dương F.C. (2007 V-League champions) Nam Dinh F.C. (2007 Vietnamese Cup winners)
Central & South Asia and West Asia (16)
Iran (2)	Saipa (2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup champions) Sepahan (2006–07 Hazfi Cup winners)
Iraq (2)	Arbil FC (2006–07 Iraqi Premier League champions) Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (2006–07 Iraqi Premier League runners-up)
Kuwait (2)	Al Kuwait Kaifan (2006–07 Kuwaiti Premier League champions) Al Qadisiya Kuwait (2007 Kuwait Emir Cup winners)
Qatar (2)	Al-Sadd (2006–07 Qatar Stars League champions and 2007 Emir of Qatar Cup winners) Al-Gharafa (2006–07 Qatar Stars League runners-up)
Saudi Arabia (1)	Al-Itthihad Jeddah (2006–07 Saudi Premier League champions)
Saudi Arabia (1)	Al-Ahli Jeddah (2006–07 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners)
Syria (2)	Al-Karamah (2006–07 Syrian League champions and 2006–07 Syrian Cup winners) Al-Ittihad Aleppo (2006–07 Syrian League runners-up)
UAE (2)	Al Wasl FC (2006–07 UAE Football League champions and 2006–07 UAE Emir Cup winners) Al-Wahda (2006–07 UAE Football League runners-up)
Uzbekistan (2)	FC Pakhtakor (2007 Uzbek League champions and 2007 Uzbekistani Cup winners) FC Bunyodkor (2007 Uzbek League runners-up)

† In the 2008 edition, Indonesia were allocated two slots just like the older editions. However, on 12 December 2007, AFC awarded one Indonesian slots to Thailand and the other one to Vietnam, due to delay in Indonesian domestic league and cup tournament,^[1] allowing both Thai and Vietnamese slots to be total of two.

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 are drawn in Group E to G, while rest are grouped in Group 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 are in 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 champions qualified for the quarter-finals.

Knockout stage

All eight clubs were randomly paired together, with the restriction that clubs from 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 goal total being declared the match winner. If the aggregate goals 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 March, 19 March, 9 April, 23 April, 7 May, 21 May

Knockout stage draw - 24 May 2008

• Quarter-finals: 17 September, 24 September
• Semi-finals: 8 October, 22 October
• Final: 5 November, 12 November

Group stage

Group A

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Bunyodkor	6	4	1	1	8	2	+6	13
Al-Ittihad Jeddah	6	3	0	3	6	5	+1	9
Sepahan	6	2	1	3	5	8	−3	7
Al-Ittihad Aleppo	6	2	0	4	4	8	−4	6

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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 Kaifan	6	1	2	3	4	6	−2	5

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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 Jeddah	6	0	4	2	5	7	−2	4

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Group D

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Al Qadisiya Kuwait	6	3	2	1	8	7	1	11
Pakhtakor	6	3	2	1	13	6	7	11
Arbil	6	2	2	2	8	11	−3	8
Al-Gharafa	6	0	2	4	3	8	−5	2

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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

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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

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Notes

• Note 2: Nam Định played their home matches at Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi as their own Thiên Trường Stadium did not meet AFC criteria.

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

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Notes

• Note 3: Chonburi played their home matches at Supachalasai Stadium, Bangkok as their own Chonburi Municipality Stadium did not meet AFC criteria.

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 Kuwait	3	0	3
	5	Urawa Red Diamonds	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.	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Saipa	3–7	Bunyodkor	2–2	1–5
Kashima Antlers	1–2	Adelaide United	1–1	0–1
Al Qadisiya Kuwait	3–4	Urawa Red Diamonds	3–2	0–2
Al-Karamah	1–4	Gamba Osaka	1–2	0–2

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.	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

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

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

AFC Champions League 2008 Winners
Gamba Osaka 1st Title

Gamba Osaka is the fifth Japanese club to win the Asian championship.

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

• 2008 FIFA Club World Cup

References

External links

• AFC Champions League Official Page (English)
• AFC Champions League on goalzz.com
• AFC Calendar of Events 2008

Asian Club Championship and AFC Champions League Asian Champion Club Tournament era, 1967–1971 Seasons 1967 1969 1970 1971 Finals 1967 1969 1970 1971 Asian Club Championship era, 1985–86–2002 Seasons 1985–86 1986 1987 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Finals 1967 1969 1970 1971 1986 1986 1987 1989 1990 1991 1991 1993 1994 1995 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Champions League era, 2002–present Seasons 2002–03 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Finals 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014   Other merges with the Champions League Asian Cup Winners' Cup, 1990–2002 Seasons 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Asian Super Cup, 1995–2002 Seasons 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 History Finals Records and statistics Winning managers

2008 AFC Champions League Champions Gamba Osaka Runners-Up Adelaide United Eliminated in Semifinals FC Bunyodkor Urawa Red Diamonds Eliminated in Quarterfinals Al-Karamah Al Qadisiya Kuwait Kashima Antlers Saipa Eliminated in Group Stage Al-Ahli Jeddah Al-Gharafa Al-Ittihad Aleppo Al-Ittihad Jeddah Al Kuwait Kaifan Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Sadd Al-Wahda Al Wasl Arbil Beijing Guoan Binh Duong Changchun Yatai Chonburi Chunnam Dragons Krung Thai Bank Melbourne Victory Nam Dinh Pakhtakor Pohang Steelers Sepahan

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