Kuala Lumpur: The 2017 AFC Champions League moved full speed ahead into the knockout rounds at the beginning of the week as the 16 remaining teams took to the pitch for the eight first-leg matches.
With intensity levels raised and the margin for error reduced, the-AFC.com looks back on the key statistics from three days of gripping action on the continent.
Oscar winner
Shanghai SIPG’s Oscar won more duels (14) than any other player in the first-leg matches, while coming out on top of two-thirds of them to lead the way with Al Ahli Saudi’s Giannis Fetfatzidis. The Brazilian was also fouled a weekly high six times in the 2-1 victory over domestic rivals Jiangsu FC.
Quartet continue unbeaten runs
The quintet of Al Ain, Al Hilal, Lekhwiya, Guangzhou Evergrande and Kawasaki Frontale went into the first-leg fixtures as the only undefeated teams on the continent but, after Al Ain suffered a 1-0 defeat at Esteghlal, only four of the five came out of their respective encounters unscathed.
Easy as one-two-three
Of all the teams to advance to the last 16, Kawasaki took the longest to record a victory. But since that elusive first win on Matchday Five, the J.League side have won three on the bounce and currently boast the longest winning run, alongside Jeju United, in the competition.
Creative influence
Al Ahli of the UAE’s Everton Ribeiro created more chances than any other player in the first-leg fixtures with the Brazilian playmaker chalking up five in the 1-1 draw with namesakes Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia.
Where Everton Ribeiro created chances
Perfect passer
Wattana Playnum is becoming a regular fixture on here. Last time out he was claiming the highest number of weekly interceptions and now the Muangthong United midfielder is back boasting a hugely impressive 100 percent accuracy rate from 55 passes.
Laying siege
Al Hilal’s 18 attempts at goal and 16 chances created against Esteghlal Khouzestan were both weekly highs. The Saudi side may well have come away with more than a 2-1 win had opposing goalkeeper Vahid Sheikhveisi not produced a weekly high of his own in making seven saves.
Al Hilal’s all-out attack
Slim pickings
Just 10 chances were created from open play in the game between Esteghlal and Al Ain – a weekly low and half the number seen in Al Hilal’s win over Esteghlal Khouzestan – yet Kaveh Rezaei’s stoppage-time penalty could prove invaluable in the second-leg.
Sucker-punched
Urawa Red Diamonds were the possession kings with 73.96 percent of time spent on the ball but the Japanese side were caught out as Jeju United, who made a weekly high of five fast breaks, scored the only goal of the week on the counter-attack to take a two-goal cushion to Japan.
Lekhwiya let-off
Seven goals in seven games is a fine record for the tournament’s leading scorer Mehdi Taremi, but four big chances missed – including a saved penalty – in Persepolis’s scoreless draw with Lekhwiya is an unwanted high of a different sort, one that the Iranian side could be left to rue.
Misfiring Goulart
Speaking of missed chances, so often Guangzhou Evergrande’s saviour, Brazilian Ricardo Goulart had an off night against Kashima Antlers. Of seven attempts on goal – a joint weekly high with Al Hilal’s Omar Khrbin – just two were on target, but luckily for Goulart countryman Paulinho helped him out as the two-time winners ran out 1-0 victors.
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com