Reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande will face A League side Western Sydney Wanderers in the quarterfinal of the 2014 AFC Asian Champions League, following the draw conducted in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday afternoon.
Evergrande are the first side to reach the quarterfinal stage of the competition in three consecutive seasons and will be hopeful of repeating their success of last season come the first week of November.
In the other side of the East Asian section, who will be kept separate from their West Asian rivals until the final under this year’s tournament rules, last year’s runners-up FC Seoul were drawn away to Pohang Steelers in the first leg of their quarterfinal clash.
For Evergrande, the bonus of the draw conducted by club captain and 2013 AFC Player of the Year Zheng Zhi is that they will host the 2nd leg of both their quarterfinal and potential semifinal clashes. Should they reach the final, though, a 2nd leg trip to West Asia would await.
Evergrande’s trip to Sydney will take place on August 20, while they will host the Australians a week later on the 27th. Any semifinal clash will take place away on 17 September and at home on 1 October.
2014 AFC Champions League Quarterfinal Draw
Al Hilal (KSA) vs. Al Sadd (QAT)
Al Ain (UAE) vs. Al Ittihad (KSA)
Pohang Steelers (KOR) vs. FC Seoul (KOR)
Western Sydney Wanderers (AUS) vs. Guangzhou Evergrande (CHN)
NOTE: The final will be played on 25 October (East Asia) and 1st November (West Asia)
Even though it is Evergrande I will greatly enjoy seeing them do the business on WSW.
Crikey!
WSW are officially the twuntiest team of cheating pr!cks in the AFC Champions League.
http://video.sina.com.cn/p/sports/j/v/2014-08-20/201264098685.html#483253-qzone-1-3729-708c27f09fd57fe37b0ed0d271d18149
Dirty Aussies!
Crikey, all right!? Pride of Asia couldn’t score against, let alone put away, a team that lost its Round of 32 domestic FFA Cup tie against a second-rate, city-league opponent. A team still in its pre-season – that was only WSW’s 5th outing since their big choke in the A-League grand final last season. Did Evergrande rest their stars for that match, or what?
Mind you, I did find it amusing seeing an Italian coach of a Chinese team in apoplexy over diving. Was this Skippy’s revenge for WC 2006?
LOL. Maybe they don’t travel well.
WC 2006 – bitter much?
Nah, don’t think it was better than ’06. But back to last night – that was more like, sweet.
Despite the massive disparity in wages and coaching, still being in pre-season mode, the long flight and hostile reception, late-night hotel door knocking and ringing of players’ phones, abuse, threats on social media, deliberate car crashes to delay the team bus, lasers pointed into players’ eyes, and bottles tossed onto the field after the game, they bloody did it – well played Wanderers.
With a wage bill some hundred-plus-fold higher than Wanderers, and a coach on 20X more, money couldn’t buy Asian success for the real estate company team.
So WSW are the MK Dons of Asian football?
How is it that a Roar fan is rooting for FFA Wanderers?
Anyway – Wanderers would be used to all the disruption. That’s their fan group down to a T.