2018 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs

The 2018 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs were played from 16 to 30 January 2018.[1] A total of 22 teams competed in the qualifying play-offs to decide eight of the 32 places in the group stage of the 2018 AFC Champions League.[2]

Teams

The following 22 teams, split into two regions (West Region and East Region), entered the qualifying play-offs, consisting of three rounds:

  • 4 teams entered in the preliminary round 1.
  • 6 teams entered in the preliminary round 2.
  • 12 teams entered in the play-off round.
Region Teams entering in play-off round Teams entering in preliminary round 2 Teams entering in preliminary round 1
West Region
East Region

Format

In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 9.2). The eight winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 24 direct entrants. All losers in each round from associations with only play-off slots entered the AFC Cup group stage.[2]

Schedule

The schedule of each round was as follows.[1]

Round Match date
Preliminary round 1 16 January 2018
Preliminary round 2 23 January 2018
Play-off round 30 January 2018

Bracket

The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each region was determined by the AFC based on the association ranking of each team, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. Teams from the same association could not be placed into the same play-off.[3]

Play-off West 1
Preliminary round 2 Play-off round Final
Al-Ain 2
Malkiya 0

Play-off West 2
Preliminary round 2 Play-off round Final
Zob Ahan 3
Aizawl 1

Play-off West 3
Preliminary round 2 Play-off round Final
Al-Gharafa 2
Pakhtakor 1

Play-off West 4
Preliminary round 2 Play-off round Final
Nasaf Qarshi 5
Al-Faisaly 1

Play-off East 1
Preliminary round 2 Play-off round Final
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 5
FLC Thanh Hóa 1
Eastern 2
FLC Thanh Hóa 4

Play-off East 2
Preliminary round 2 Play-off round Final
Kashiwa Reysol 3
Muangthong United 0
Muangthong United 5
Johor Darul Ta'zim 2

Play-off East 3
Preliminary round 2 Play-off round Final
Shanghai SIPG 1
Chiangrai United 0
Chiangrai United (a.e.t.) 2
Bali United 3 Bali United 1
Tampines Rovers 1

Play-off East 4
Preliminary round 2 Play-off round Final
Tianjin Quanjian 2
Ceres–Negros 0
Brisbane Roar 2
Shan United 1 (3) Ceres–Negros 3
Ceres–Negros (p) 1 (4)

Preliminary round 1

Summary

A total of four teams played in the preliminary round 1.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Bali United 3–1 Tampines Rovers
Shan United 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(3–4 p)		 Ceres–Negros

East Region
Bali United 3–1 Tampines Rovers
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 19,237
Referee: Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)
Shan United 1–1 (a.e.t.) Ceres–Negros
 Live Report
Stats Report
  • Nyakwe  94' (o.g.)
Penalties
 3–4
Attendance: 257
Referee: Ahmed Al-Ali (Jordan)

Preliminary round 2

Summary

A total of eight teams played in the preliminary round 2: six teams which entered in this round, and two winners of the preliminary round 1.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Eastern 2–4 FLC Thanh Hóa
Muangthong United 5–2 Johor Darul Ta'zim
Chiangrai United 2–1 (a.e.t.) Bali United
Brisbane Roar 2–3 Ceres–Negros

East Region
Eastern 2–4 FLC Thanh Hóa
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 3,305
Muangthong United 5–2 Johor Darul Ta'zim
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 7,949
Referee: Aziz Asimov (Uzbekistan)
Chiangrai United 2–1 (a.e.t.) Bali United
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 5,960
Brisbane Roar 2–3 Ceres–Negros
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 1,279

Play-off round

Summary

A total of 16 teams played in the play-off round: twelve teams which entered in this round, and four winners of the preliminary round 2.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al-Ain 2–0 Malkiya
Zob Ahan 3–1 Aizawl
Al-Gharafa 2–1 Pakhtakor
Nasaf Qarshi 5–1 Al-Faisaly
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 5–1 FLC Thanh Hóa
Kashiwa Reysol 3–0 Muangthong United
Shanghai SIPG 1–0 Chiangrai United
Tianjin Quanjian 2–0 Ceres–Negros

West Region
Al-Ain 2–0 Malkiya
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 5,063
Zob Ahan 3–1 Aizawl
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Nivon Robesh Gamini (Sri Lanka)
Al-Gharafa 2–1 Pakhtakor
 Live Report
Stats Report
  • Khakimov  90+3'
Attendance: 2,936
Referee: Mohanad Qassim (Iraq)
Nasaf Qarshi 5–1 Al-Faisaly
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 12,843
Referee: Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)

East Region
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 5–1 FLC Thanh Hóa
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 4,790
Kashiwa Reysol 3–0 Muangthong United
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 6,598
Shanghai SIPG 1–0 Chiangrai United
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 17,300
Tianjin Quanjian 2–0 Ceres–Negros
 Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 23,310
Referee: Masoud Tufayelieh (Syria)

Notes
  1. The identity of the play-off teams from Japan and Philippines was not known at the time of the group stage draw.
  2. The kick-off of the Bali United v Tampines Rovers match was delayed from 19:30 to 20:30 local time due to bad weather.

References
  1. "AFC Competitions Calendar 2018". AFC. 11 January 2018.
  2. "2018 AFC Champions League Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC.
  3. "AFC Champions League 2018 draw concluded". AFC. 6 December 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.