2015 AFC Cup final

The 2015 AFC Cup Final was the final match of the 2015 AFC Cup, the 12th edition of the AFC Cup, a football competition organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for clubs from 'developing countries' in Asia according to the Vision Asia plan.^[1]

2015 AFC Cup Final

Event	2015 AFC Cup
Istiklol Johor Darul Ta'zim 0 1
Date	31 October 2015
Venue	Pamir Stadium, Dushanbe
Man of the Match	Safiq Rahim
Referee	Minoru Tōjō (Japan)
Attendance	18,000
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The final was contested as a single match between Tajikistani team Istiklol and the Malaysian team Johor Darul Ta'zim. The match was hosted by Istiklol at the Pamir Stadium in Dushanbe on 31 October 2015.^[2] Leandro Velázquez scored the only goal in a match for Johor Darul Ta'zim, who won the match 1–0 and clinched their first title.^[3]

Venue

Pamir Stadium

The Pamir Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. It is the home stadium of Istiklol and holds 24,000 spectators.

Background

Istiklol qualified for the 2015 AFC Cup group stage as the 2014 Tajik League and 2014 Tajik Cup winners. This was their first appearance in the AFC Cup.

Johor Darul Ta'zim qualified for the 2015 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off as the 2014 Malaysia Super League champions, but failed to advance to the AFC Champions League group stage, and entered the AFC Cup group stage. This was their second appearance in the AFC Cup.

Both teams reached the AFC Cup final for the first time, and Johor Darul Ta'zim was the first team from East Asia Zone to reach the final.

Road to final

Further information: 2015 AFC Cup

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Istiklol				Round	Johor Darul Ta'zim
AFC Cup				Qualifying play-off	AFC Champions League
Opponent	Result				Opponent	Result
Bye				Round 1	Bengaluru FC	2–1 (a.e.t.) (H)
				Round 2	Bangkok Glass	0–3 (A)
AFC Cup
Opponent	Result			Group stage	Opponent	Result
Erbil	1–3 (H)			Matchday 1	East Bengal	4–1 (H)
Ahal	2–1 (A)			Matchday 2	Balestier Khalsa	1–0 (A)
Al-Qadsia	2–2 (A)			Matchday 3	Kitchee	0–2 (A)
Al-Qadsia	2–0 (H)			Matchday 4	Kitchee	2–0 (H)
Erbil	0–0 (A)			Matchday 5	East Bengal	1–0 (A)
Ahal	5–2 (H)			Matchday 6	Balestier Khalsa	3–0 (H)
Group C winner Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Istiklol 6 11 2 Al-Qadsia 6 10 3 Erbil 6 7 4 Ahal 6 6 Source: AFC				Final standings	Group F winner Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Johor Darul Ta'zim 6 15 2 Kitchee 6 11 3 East Bengal 6 5 4 Balestier Khalsa 6 3 Source: AFC
Opponent	Agg.	1st leg	2nd leg	Knockout stage	Opponent	Agg.	1st leg	2nd leg
Al-Wahda	1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p) (H) (single match)			Round of 16	Ayeyawady United	5–0 (H) (single match)
Pahang	5–3	4–0 (H)	1–3 (A)	Quarter-finals	South China	4–2	1–1 (H)	3–1 (A)
Al-Kuwait	w/o	0–4 (A)	Cancelled (H)	Semi-finals	Al-Qadsia	w/o	1–3 (A)	Cancelled (H)

Rules

The final was played as a single match, with the host team decided by draw. If tied after regulation, extra time and, if necessary, penalty shoot-out would be used to decide the winner.^[1]

Match

31 October 2015

17:00 UTC+5

Istiklol	0–1	Johor Darul Ta'zim
	Report	Velázquez 23'

Pamir Stadium, Dushanbe

Attendance: 18,000

Referee: Minoru Tōjō (Japan)

Istiklol

Johor Darul Ta'zim

GK 1 Nikola Stošić DF 2 Siyovush Asrori  77' DF 11 Jakhongir Jalilov DF 15 Petro Kovalchuk DF 22 Mahdi Chahjouei MF 8 Nuriddin Davronov MF 9 Khurshed Makhmudov  73' MF 18 Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev MF 63 Manuchekhr Dzhalilov FW 10 Manuel Rodríguez  86' FW 17 Dilshod Vasiev (c) Substitute GK 16 Alisher Tuychiev GK 35 Kurban Boboev DF 19 Akhtam Nazarov  86' MF 7 Umedzhon Sharipov MF 21 Romish Jalilov MF 39 Parvizdzhon Umarbayev  73' Coach Mubin Ergashev

GK 1 Farizal Marlias  54' DF 6 Marcos António DF 7 Aidil Zafuan DF 12 S. Kunanlan DF 42 Fazly Mazlan MF 8 Safiq Rahim (c) MF 14 Hariss Harun MF 21 Jasazrin Jamaluddin FW 9 Leandro Velázquez  51'  86' FW 10 Safee Sali  53'  60' FW 19 Luciano Figueroa Substitute GK 24 Izham Tarmizi DF 18 Mahali Jasuli  60' DF 26 Amer Saidin MF 13 Gary Steven Robbat  90+5'  86' MF 16 Shakir Shaari MF 23 S. Chanturu FW 17 Amri Yahyah Coach Mario Gomez

AFC Man of the Match: Safiq Rahim (Johor Darul Ta'zim) Assistant referees: Toshiyuki Nagi (Japan) Ochi Shinji (Japan) Fourth official: Jumpei Iida (Japan)