Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective

2018 AFC Champions League final

Football match From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2018 AFC Champions League final
Remove ads

The 2018 AFC Champions League Final was the final of the 2018 AFC Champions League, the 37th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 16th under the current AFC Champions League title.

Quick Facts Event, Kashima Antlers ...
Remove ads

The final was contested in a two-legged home-and-away format between Kashima Antlers from Japan and Persepolis from Iran, with both teams making their first Champions League final appearances, the first time it happened since 2008. The first leg was hosted by Kashima Antlers at the Kashima Soccer Stadium in Kashima on 3 November 2018, while the second leg was hosted by Persepolis at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran on 10 November 2018. This was the first AFC Champions League final involving an Iranian club since Zob Ahan in 2010, and the first time neither team had won the tournament before since 2013.

Kashima Antlers won the final 2–0 on aggregate for their first AFC Champions League title. As Asian champions, they earned the right to represent the AFC at the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, entering at the second round.[3]

Remove ads

Teams

In the following table, finals until 2002 were in the Asian Club Championship era, since 2003 were in the AFC Champions League era.

More information Team, Region ...

Venues

Thumb
Thumb
Kashima Soccer Stadium in Kashima, Japan (L) and Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran (R)

The 2018 AFC Champions League Final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format, held at the home of both finalists. It is the sixth consecutive year that the AFC adopted such an arrangement. Kashima Antlers's home venue, 40,728 seater Kashima Soccer Stadium hosted the first leg. This was the first time that an Asian club final played in the Kashima Soccer Stadium.

78,116 seater Azadi Stadium hosted the second leg. It is the third time that an Asian club final played in the Azadi Stadium, with the previous final being 1999 and 2002. One of the problems for Azadi's hosting was women's presence at stadium ban, which is runs since 1979. Persepolis officials promised to provide their presence. The stadium also had minor renovations after Persepolis' qualification to the final.

Remove ads

Background

Both Persepolis and Kashima Antlers reached their first final.

Persepolis became the fifth different Iranian side, third in the AFC Champions League era to qualify for the final. It was the first time since 2010 that an Iranian side qualified for the final, Zob Ahan losing 1–3 to Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma of South Korea, that time around. They faced some tough opponents on their road to the final, the highlight being their challengers in the semifinal — Al-Sadd of Qatar who lined up with Barcelona great Xavi in the midfield and former Atlético Madrid legend Gabi manning the defence.[4]

Kashima Antlers became the seventh different Japanese side, third in the AFC Champions League era to qualify for the final. They made consecutive appearances for Japanese clubs in the final, Urawa Red Diamonds winning 2–1 on aggregate against Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the previous edition. They were the runners-up of the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup where they lost 2–4 to the Spanish giants Real Madrid in extra time.[5][6]

Road to the final

Summarize
Perspective

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

More information Kashima Antlers, Round ...
Remove ads

Format

The final was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, with the order of legs (first leg hosted by team from the East Region, second leg hosted by team from the West Region) reversed from the previous season's final.[7]

The away goals rule, extra time (away goals do not apply in extra time) and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations, Section 3. 11.2 & 11.3).[3]

Remove ads

Officials

Ma Ning from China has been chosen to officiate the first leg match. He has been a full international referee for FIFA since 2011. Ahmed Al-Kaf from Oman also officiated the second leg.[8]

Pre-match

Ambassador

Ambassadors

The ambassador for the first leg final was former Brazilian footballer and Kashima Antlers legend Zico. Zico is currently technical manager of the team and brought the trophy before the first match. For the second leg, Persepolis announced its legend Ali Parvin as the ambassador.[9]

Ticketing

With a stadium capacity of 90,000 for the second leg final, a total of 84,412 tickets were available to fans and the general public, with the guest team had 5,000 tickets. The price of the tickets was: 800,000 Rial ($19), 500,000 Rial ($12) and 300,000 Rial ($7).[citation needed]

Opening ceremony

Iranian singer Mohsen Ebrahimzadeh performed at the opening ceremony preceding the second leg final.[10] The time of concert was 8 minutes and two songs performed. One of the songs was English and the other Persian.

Remove ads

Matches

Summarize
Perspective

First leg

Summary

Thumb
Two teams' coaches before the match

The first big chance fell to the visitors when a cross from the right was nodded into the path of Ali Alipour in the fourth minute. Just eight yards from goal, the striker looked certain to score but Jung Seung-hyun threw himself into the path of the shot and blocked it with his head. Two minutes later, Ahmad Nourollahi's free-kick from the left was tipped over by Kwoun Sun-tae as Persepolis applied early pressure. Kashima worked their way back into the game but the away side's threat on the break was demonstrated when Hiroki Abe was booked for a cynical foul on Bashar Resan as the midfielder surged forward. The hosts finally created an opening in the 25th minute as Daigo Nishi's cushioned header found Yuma Suzuki. But the striker's shot from a narrow angle flashed well wide of the far post. Six minutes later, Kashima had another opportunity when a through ball from Shoma Doi put Serginho through. The Brazilian created an angle for his shot but Shoja' Khalilzadeh slid in to make a vital block.

Kashima made the first chance of the second half when Abe instigated a move that ended with Serginho laying the ball back for Silva. The Brazilian tried to curl a shot into the top corner but his attempt drifted wide. But Silva soon had reason to celebrate as he gave Kashima the lead in the 58th minute. The midfield man played a neat one-two with Shoma on the edge of the Persepolis penalty area and cut inside before curling a low left-footed shot into the corner from 18 yards. Kashima then added their second in the 70th minute. The ball broke to Kento Misao 20 yards out and he played a deft pass into the path of Serginho on the right and the Brazilian placed his shot into the far corner from the edge of the six-yard box. There was a further blow for Persepolis as Siamak Nemati received his second yellow card in added time and the midfielder would miss the second leg.[11]

Details

More information Kashima Antlers, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 35,022
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Kashima Antlers
Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Persepolis
GK1South Korea Kwoun Sun-tae
RB22Japan Daigo Nishi
CB35South Korea Jung Seung-hyun
CB3Japan Gen Shoji (c)
LB16Japan Shuto Yamamoto
RM20Japan Kento Misao
CM8Japan Shoma Doidownward-facing red arrow 80'
CM4Brazil Léo Silva
LM18Brazil Serginhodownward-facing red arrow 90+2'
CF9Japan Yuma Suzuki
CF30Japan Hiroki AbeYellow card 11'downward-facing red arrow 68'
Substitutes:
GK21Japan Hitoshi Sogahata
DF32Japan Koki Anzaiupward-facing green arrow 68'
DF39Japan Tomoya Inukai
MF6Japan Ryota Nagakiupward-facing green arrow 80'
MF25Japan Yasushi Endo
MF40Japan Mitsuo Ogasawara
FW14Japan Takeshi Kanamoriupward-facing green arrow 90+2'
Manager:
Japan Go Oiwa
Thumb
GK1Iran Alireza Beiranvand
RB69Iran Shayan Mosleh
CB4Iran Jalal Hosseini (c)
CB3Iran Shoja' KhalilzadehYellow card 72'
LB15Iran Mohammad Ansari
RM88Iran Siamak NematiYellow card 62' Yellow-red card 90+3'
CM11Iran Kamal Kamyabinia
CM5Iraq Bashar Resan
LM8Iran Ahmad Nourollahidownward-facing red arrow 70'
CF70Iran Ali Alipour
CF90Nigeria Godwin Mensha
Substitutes:
GK44Croatia Božidar Radošević
MF18Iran Mohsen Rabiekhah
MF21Canada Adam Hemati
MF22Iran Omid Alishahupward-facing green arrow 70'
MF25Iran Ehsan Alvanzadeh
MF26Iran Saeid Hosseinpour
MF37Iran Hamidreza Taherkhani
Manager:
Croatia Branko Ivanković

Man of the Match:
Léo Silva (Kashima Antlers)[1]

Assistant referees:[1]
Cao Yi (China)
Shi Xiang (China)
Fourth official:[1]
Huo Weiming (China)
Additional assistant referees:[1]
Fu Ming (China)
Liu Kwok Man (Hong Kong)

Match rules[3]

  • 90 minutes.
  • Seven named substitutes, of which up to three may be used.

Statistics

More information Statistic, Kashima Antlers ...

Second leg

Summary

Thumb
Persepolis fans during the match

Persepolis, known for their mean defence, had no option but to attack, but Kashima goalkeeper Kwoun Sun-tae put in a virtuoso performance. Kwoun, for whom this was a third Asian crown following two with South Korea's Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, was at the top of his game, keeping the Iranians, especially Ali Alipour and Bashar Resan at bay. Seven minutes before half-time Resan muscled his way past two defenders close to the Kashima goal, but failed to beat Kwoun at his near post.

Persepolis coach Branko Ivankovic sent on Mohsen Rabiekhah and Ehsan Alvanzadeh in a desperate attempt to break the deadlock but to no avail. After winning the home leg 2–0, the Japanese team held Persepolis to a goalless stalemate in Iran to clinch their first-ever title in the tournament.[14][15]

Details

More information Persepolis, 0–0 ...
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Persepolis
Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Kashima Antlers
GK1Iran Alireza Beiranvand
RB3Iran Shoja' Khalilzadeh
CB4Iran Jalal Hosseini (c)
CB15Iran Mohammad Ansaridownward-facing red arrow 69'
LB69Iran Shayan Mosleh
DM11Iran Kamal Kamyabinia
CM21Canada Adam Hematidownward-facing red arrow 64'
CM8Iran Ahmad Nourollahi
AM5Iraq Bashar Resan
CF70Iran Ali Alipour
CF90Nigeria Godwin Mensha
Substitutes:
GK12Iran Abolfazl Darvishvand
GK44Croatia Božidar Radošević
DF38Iran Ehsan Hosseini
MF18Iran Mohsen Rabiekhahupward-facing green arrow 64'
MF25Iran Ehsan Alvanzadehupward-facing green arrow 69'
MF26Iran Saeid Hosseinpour
MF37Iran Hamidreza Taherkhani
Manager:
Croatia Branko Ivanković
Thumb
GK1South Korea Kwoun Sun-tae
RB22Japan Daigo NishiYellow card 70'
CB35South Korea Jung Seung-hyun
CB3Japan Gen Shoji (c)
LB16Japan Shuto Yamamoto
RM8Japan Shoma Doidownward-facing red arrow 68'
CM20Japan Kento Misao
CM4Brazil Léo SilvaYellow card 43'
LM30Japan Hiroki Abedownward-facing red arrow 90+3'
CF18Brazil Serginho
CF9Japan Yuma Suzukidownward-facing red arrow 77'
Substitutes:
GK21Japan Hitoshi Sogahata
DF32Japan Koki Anzaiupward-facing green arrow 68'
DF39Japan Tomoya Inukai
MF6Japan Ryota NagakiYellow card 90+1'upward-facing green arrow 77'
MF25Japan Yasushi Endo
MF40Japan Mitsuo Ogasawara
FW14Japan Takeshi Kanamoriupward-facing green arrow 90+3'
Manager:
Japan Go Oiwa

Man of the Match:
Godwin Mensha (Persepolis)[2]

Assistant referees:[2]
Abu Bakar Al-Amri (Oman)
Rashid Al-Ghaithi (Oman)
Fourth official:[2]
Ronnie Koh Min Kiat (Singapore)
Additional assistant referees:[2]
Muhammad Taqi (Singapore)
Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)

Match rules[3]

Statistics

More information Statistic, Persepolis ...
Remove ads

Incidents

Thumb
People watching match at Tehran's Laleh Park

An Iranian pitch invader skipped to the ground in the 21st minute of the match in Japan. He brought an Iranian Empire flag, which now symbolizes the opposition and was also wearing a shirt with the image of Abdolfattah Soltani, a controversial Iranian judge.[16]

Hundreds of Iranian women were allowed to attend the second leg; Iranian female fans had been barred from attending official matches in Iran since the Iranian Revolution.[17]

See also

References

Loading content...
Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Remove ads