Kuala Lumpur: With the first leg of the AFC Champions League final between Al Hilal and Urawa Red Diamonds now less than a week away, join the-AFC.com as we look back at five thrilling first-leg encounters.
2002-03 AFC Champions League: Al Ain 2 BEC Tero Sasana 0
Salem Johar will forever be remembered as the first goalscorer in an AFC Champions League final when he drilled home from distance to put Al Ain a goal to the good in the first half against Thailand’s BEC Tero Sasana at Tahnooun Bin Mohamed Stadium.
A 2-0 win was wrapped up when Mohammad Omar tapped home with 16 minutes to play, before a 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture in Bangkok saw the Emiratis crowned the first AFC Champions League winners.
2004 AFC Champions League: Al Ittihad 1 Seongnam Ilhwa Chumna 3
A year later, Denis Laktionov’s superb opener put Seongnam Ilhwa Chumna of Korea Republic one up against Saudi Arabian giants Al Ittihad, but Redha Tukar’s header soon after sent a packed PAF Stadium into delirium to leave the game poised at 1-1 at the interval.
Late goals from Kim Do-hoon and Jang Hak-young wrapped up a hugely impressive 3-1 win for the visitors but, amazingly, Al Ittihad would post a 5-0 victory in the second leg to become kings of the continent after a 6-3 aggregate win.
2008 AFC Champions League: Gamba Osaka 3 Adelaide United 0
After Urawa Red Diamonds were crowned Japan’s first AFC Champions League winners in 2007, Gamba Osaka were aiming to follow suit a year later and first-half strikes from Brazilian Lucas and Yasuhito Endo put them well on the way in front of a passionate home support.
Michihiro Yasuda then volleyed home midway through the second half to mean the game was as good as up ahead of the trip to South Australia, where Gamba won 2-0 as the Japanese side ran out 5-0 victors in what remains the biggest winning margin in an AFC Champions League final.
2013 AFC Champions League: FC Seoul 2 Guangzhou Evergrande 2
An early goal from FC Seoul’s Sergio Escudero set the tone in the 2013 final at Seoul World Cup Stadium, before Elkeson levelled for Guangzhou Evergrande on 30 minutes and an opportunistic Gao Lin put the Chinese side 2-1 up shortly before the hour.
Dejan Damjanovic would ensure the thrilling first leg ended in parity when he struck with seven minutes remaining, although a 1-1 draw in the second leg in southern China saw Guangzhou become the first team to win the AFC Champions League by virtue of away goals.
2016 AFC Champions League: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2 Al Ain 1
Both Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Al Ain were looking to become two-time continental champions in the 2016 edition of the final, and it was the Emirati team who drew first blood through Colombian Danilo Asprilla’s 63rd-minute goal.
Brazilian Leonardo then curled in a stunning effort with 20 minutes remaining and coolly dispatched a penalty seven minutes later, before Choi Kang-hee’s side followed up the 2-1 win with a 1-1 draw in the UAE to claim a 3-2 win and add to their 2006 continental title.
Photo: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com