Kuala Lumpur: It’s just two days until the highly anticipated 2017 AFC Champions League Round of 16 kicks off, and so the-AFC.com concludes our look at some of the best goals from the last eight years of action.
Having already looked at some memorable efforts from 2009 â 2012, this time we focus on the finest Round of 16 strikes from the 2013 â 2016 competitions.
Read part one of 16 Great Goals of the Round of 16: 2009 â 2012
9. Ekkachai Sumrei â 2013 AFC Champions League: Buriram United v Bunyodkor
Buriram United’s first and only appearance in the knockout stage will live long in the memory of Ekkachai Sumrei.
With the scores tied at 1-1 and less than 15 minutes remaining, the midfielder sensed his moment.
From a free-kick from the left, Ekkachai ghosted towards the edge of the six-yard box before twisting and flicking a delightful looping header over Murotjon Zukhurov to send the home support into raptures.
10. Sebastian Tagliabue â 2013 AFC Champions League: Al Gharafa v Al Shabab
Sebastian Tagliabue enjoyed a fine year with Saudi side Al Shabab and the Argentine forward’s clinical finishing was displayed at its finest in the 2013 first knockout round.
Trailing 1-0 to Qatar’s Al Gharafa, Tagliabue played a cushioned header on the edge of the area to Fernando Menegazzo before receiving the ball back from the Brazilian’s cheeky back-heel and curling an exquisite effort into the left corner from 16 yards.
11. Omar Abdulrahman â 2014 AFC Champions League: Al Jazira v Al Ain
Few players have the ability to pull off the spectacular with such regularity as Omar Abdulrahman and an Emirati derby at Al Jazira in 2014 allowed the frizzy-haired playmaker to showcase his talents once more.
Abdulrahman received the ball thirty yards from goal, took three touches and lashed an unstoppable left-foot strike beyond Ali Khasief to put the visitors 2-0 up and well on their way to the last eight.
12. Kim Chi-woo â 2014 AFC Champions League: Kawasaki Frontale v FC Seoul
Japan against Korea Republic tends to whet the appetite and the 2014 clash between Kawasaki Frontale and FC Seoul was no different.
Just seven minutes remained when Kim Chi-woo fired a rocket into the bottom left corner from just inside the area to level the scores at 2-2.
The strike rattled the hosts as FC Seoul netted a last-gasp winner to return to the Korean capital with a one-goal advantage.
13. Huang Bowen â 2015 AFC Champions League: Seongnam FC v Guangzhou Evergrande
Huang Bowen is renowned for producing sublime long-range efforts but even by his standards his goal at Seongnam FC in 2015 was special.
After receiving the ball inside the hosts’ half, Huang turned well and played a one-two before taking a touch and unleashing a blistering strike from fully 30 yards to level the scores at 1-1.
Guangzhou would advance 3-2 on aggregate on route to a second continental crown.
14. Ali Assadalla â 2015 AFC Champions League: Lekhwiya v Al Sadd
Team goals are often the finest and so it proved in a classic contest between Doha rivals Lekhwiya and Al Sadd in 2015.
After picking up the ball on the left, Nadir Belhadj played a crisp give-and-go with Lee Jung-soo before cutting it back first time to Ali Assadalla, whose controlled side-foot into the bottom left corner from 15 yards finished off the most finely crafted of moves.
15. Hao Junmin â 2016 AFC Champions League: Sydney FC v Shandong Luneng
A moment of magic from Hao Junmin was not only one of the best goals of the 2016 competition but also among the most dramatic.
Trailing 2-1 in stoppage time and heading for the exit door, Hao found himself 30 yards from goal with plenty to do.
The midfielder took one touch and swerved a glorious effort past the despairing Vedran Janjetovic to send Shandong through on away goals.
16. Mohammad Iranpourian â 2016 AFC Champions League: Tractorsazi Tabriz v Al Nasr
Blink and you would have missed Mohammad Iranpourian’s thunderbolt against Al Nasr in 2016.
With Tractorsazi 5-1 down on aggregate at half-time of the second leg, the Iranian side suddenly burst into life.
And on the hour, Iranpourian’s 20-yard piledriver flew past Ahmad Shambih to make it 5-3 and raise the volume inside Yadegar Emam Stadium.
The hosts pulled one more back but the miraculous escape was not to be.
Photo: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com