Kuala Lumpur: The last eight of the AFC Champions League is always an exciting affair and since the quarter-final stage was added to the continental competition in 2004, there have been plenty of classic encounters.
Ahead of the 2017 edition’s quarter-finals, we have picked eight stand-out ties to remember and relive. Let us know your favourite AFC Champions League quarter-final on our social media pages.
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2005 AFC Champions League: PAS Tehran vs Al Ain
One of the early quarter-final classics came back in 2005 when PAS Tehran hosted inaugural winners Al Ain after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
PAS would have envisaged few problems when Arash Borhani slinked his way through the Al Ain defence for his double to make it 2-0 shortly after half-time, before Malian Issa Traore restored their two-goal lead with 15 minutes to play following Luis Tejada’s penalty on the hour.
But Al Ain midfielder Helal Saeed curled home on 83 minutes and then finished from close range just a minute later for a quick-fire turnaround as Al Ain claimed a 4-4 draw to stun PAS and advance on away goals.
2009 AFC Champions League: Pohang Steelers vs Bunyodkor
After going a goal down to Pohang Steelers in the first leg, a late Server Djeparov brace wrapped up a 3-1 victory to ensure Bunyodkor went into the return fixture as favourites.
Kim Jae-sung pulled one back on 46 minutes in Pohang, though, before Brazilian Denilson scored twice to put the hosts in the driving seat, only for Victor Karpenko to level at the death and force extra-time.
But Macedonia international Stevica Ristic would prove the hero, heading home on 102 minutes as Pohang won 5-4 on aggregate. The Korean side went on to become continental champions, before Denilson and Ristic wound up at Bunyodkor the following year.
2009 AFC Champions League: Nagoya Grampus vs Kawasaki Frontale
An all-Japanese affair between Kawasaki Frontale and Nagoya Grampus saw quick-fire second-half goals from Kengo Nakamura and Juninho cancel out Joshua Kennedy’s first-leg opener as Kawasaki took a slender 2-1 lead into the return fixture in Nagoya.
Yoshizumi Ogawa struck first a week later for Nagoya and a 21-year-old Maya Yoshida put the hosts two up, before Jong Tae-se pulled one back to mean the game was tied 3-3 on aggregate at the interval.
With extra-time looming, Australian Kennedy then netted the decisive goal with two minutes remaining as Nagoya advanced in dramatic fashion before defeat to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad in the semi-finals.
2010 AFC Champions League: Al Gharafa vs Al Hilal
Taking part in their third quarter-final in four years, Al Hilal ran out resounding 3-0 first-leg winners against last-eight debutants Al Gharafa of Qatar in Riyadh.
But, inexplicably, the Saudi giants found themselves three down by half-time in the return fixture in Doha after goals from Mirghani Al Zain, Younis Mahmoud and Otmane El Assas, before Iraqi Mahmoud headed in his second to make it 4-0 in extra-time.
One of the all-time great comebacks, though, was quashed at the death as Yasser Al Qahtani and Essa Al Mehyani spared Al Hilal’s blushes with goals in the 117th and 119th minutes to progress to the last four.
2012 AFC Champions League: Adelaide United vs Bunyodkor
Bunyodkor tend to provide drama at the quarter-final stage, as they did once more in 2012 after coming from two down in Australia to claim a 2-2 first-leg draw against Adelaide United.
Back in Tashkent, Iain Ramsay gave the visitors an early lead only for Lutfulla Turaev to level, before more toing and froing saw Jeronimo Neumann put Adelaide back in front and Akmal Shorakhmedov restore parity to force an additional 30 minutes.
Then, with the dreaded penalty shootout just six minutes away, Alibobo Rakhmatullaev headed home to delight the Bunyodkor faithful as a 5-4 aggregate win set up a semi-final clash with eventual winners Ulsan Hyundai.
2012 AFC Champions League: Guangzhou Evergrande vs Al Ittihad
Debutants Guangzhou Evergrande’s rise to the fore had barely begun when they took a 2-1 lead into the interval against continental powerhouses Al Ittihad in Jeddah, before Naif Hazazi’s late strike meant it eventually finished 4-2 in the hosts’ favour.
Marcello Lippi’s side were far from done, though, as Lucas Barrios and a Dario Conca penalty put Guangzhou two up by half-time in the second leg and on course for a place in the semi-finals.
But with 11 minutes to play an unlikely hero emerged in 18-year-old Fahad Al Muwallad, who reacted quickest to a flick-on before finishing to send Al Ittihad through 5-4 on aggregate.
2014 AFC Champions League: Western Sydney Wanderers vs Guangzhou Evergrande
Defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande trailed 1-0 to tournament debutants Western Sydney Wanderers going into the second leg in China after Tomi Juric’s solitary goal in Australia.
The Socceroos international then doubled his side’s advantage from the spot just before the hour in a bad-tempered second leg at Tianhe Stadium, before Alessandro Diamanti levelled soon after to make it game on.
Elkeson netted the winner in injury time but it was not enough for the hosts, who exited on away goals as Tony Popovic’s team went on to win the competition at the first time of asking following a 1-0 aggregate win over Al Hilal in the final.
2015 AFC Champions League: Gamba Osaka vs Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
A goalless stalemate in the 2015 AFC Champions League quarter-final first leg between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Gamba Osaka was no indicator of the incredible rollercoaster that was to be the return match in Japan.
At Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium, the clash between the two former champions needed just 13 minutes to greet the tie’s first goal as Jeobuk’s Leonardo netted from the penalty spot before Gamba restored parity a minute later through fellow Brazilian Patric.
Shu Kurata’s deflected effort on 76 minutes sent Gamba’s vocal fans into premature ecstasy in the stands, but Jeonbuk substitute Urko Vera brought the joy to a halt with an 88th minute header. However, just as it looked like the Koreans would be making a sixth semi-final appearance, Koki Yonekura fought his way into the penalty area to prod home to blow the roof off the stadium and take Gamba through.
Photo: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com