Kuala Lumpur: With the AFC Champions League Semi-Finals fast approaching, the-AFC.com takes a look back at four super strikes from the previous editions of the final four.
There have been some spectacular games and goals alike, if we’ve missed out on your favourite let us know on our social media channels.
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1. Ha Dae-sung – 2013 AFC Champions League: Esteghlal vs FC Seoul
FC Seoul went all the way to the 2013 final, the seventh time a club from Korea Republic had reached the tournament climax, but arguably one of the finest moments of the campaign came in front of a packed Azadi Stadium in Tehran in the semi-finals.
Having won the first leg 2-0 in Seoul, the visitors would have been prepared for an intimidating atmosphere in front of over 88,000 Esteghlal fans in the return meeting. But midfielder Ha Dae-sun proved the coolest man on the field scoring a sensational opener with a stunning lob. A 2-2 draw proved enough to take the side through to the final, although they would ultimately lose out to China’s Guangzhou Evergrande.
2. Carlos Eduardo – 2015 AFC Champions League: Al Ahli vs Al Hilal
A 1-1 draw in the 2015 semi-final first leg in Riyadh set the stage for a fascinating tie in Dubai between Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal and so it proved as a rollercoaster tie ended 3-2 to the Emiratis via Kwon Kyung-won’s injury time winner.
However, it was Carlos Eduardo, some 30 minutes earlier who had scored unquestionably the game’s finest goal. Picking the ball up from well outside the penalty area, the Brazilian unleashed a rocket that swerved and screamed its way into the top left-hand corner of the net. A worthy winner of any game, but denied by Kwon’s late intervention.
3. Huang Bowen – 2015 AFC Champions League: Guangzhou Evergrande vs Gamba Osaka
In the 2015 AFC Champions League knockout stage, Guangzhou Evergrande midfielder Huang Bowen went on a glorious run of form where he seemed to only score stunners.
A long-range special against Seongnam FC in the Round of 16, a wonderful first-time effort against Kashiwa Reysol in the quarter-final, and then, this, a sublime half-volley against Gamba Osaka in the final four, on the way to his and Guangzhou’s second AFC Champions League title.
4. Omar Abdulrahman – 2016 AFC Champions League: Al Ain vs El Jaish
It is common knowledge now that United Arab Emirates and Al Ain playmaker Omar Abdulrahman is a very special player, but 2016, in particular, was a year when his formidable talents rose to the fore.
A clear winner of that year’s AFC Champions League MVP and AFC Player of the Year accolades, Abdulrahman had several notable highs on the way to a runners-up finish but this inch-perfect free-kick against El Jaish in the semi-final first leg would have been among them.
Photo: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com