June 21 – The AFC Champions League (East) swings into action tomorrow, hard on the heels of the just completed first stages of the Asian Qualifiers for Qatar 2022 and China 2023.
The AFC has returned to pretty much full speed over the summer with both club and national team competitions being shoe-horned into what was a calendar that was rapidly running out of wriggle room for further postponements of the confederation’s major events.
The season the AFC has expanded its Champions League by an extra four-team group in both its East and West zones.
The East Zone groups have been centralised with three being played in Thailand and two in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The action kicks off tomorrow at the Rajamangala Stadium when three-times South Korean champions Pohang Steelers face debutants Ratchaburi FC of Thailand.
That match will be followed the 2020 Malaysian Super League winners Johor Darul Ta’zim against Japan’s Nagoya Grampus.
With issues over the withdrawal of Chinese clubs from the competition there is still one Group F slot to be filled which will be played off for by Shanghai Port FC of China and Kaya FC-Iloilo of the Philippines on Wednesday.
In Group J action which starts June 24, two-time AFC Champions League winners Guangzhou FC of China PR take on Japan’s Cerezo Osaka, who are returning to the Group Stage for the first time since 2018.
Also in that group, Hong Kong’s Kitchee SC and Port FC, one of four Thai clubs playing in the AFC Champions League.
Current Champions League title holders Ulsan Hyundai FC of South Korea open their campaign for a third AFC title against 2020 V. League 1 winners and debutants Viettel FC of Vietnam on June 26.
By the weekend all groups will be in full flow and will run through to the middle of July.
The East zone groups are trailing the West zone which completed its group stages in April. The eventual Champions League winner will qualify for the Club World Cup that will be held in Japan in December.
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