AFC Champions League Round Review (Group Stage)

A thrilling AFC Champions League group stage came to a close in emphatic fashion, with the majority of the groups only firmly settled on the final match day. While many predicted some groups would be ran away with comfortably by the so called big guns of Asian football, the fact that no side went through the stage winning every single game and with every club at least dropping 5 points of the maximum proved tantalising viewing for the neutrals. Across the board there were plenty of shocks but only 16 have progressed through to the knockout stages, 8 from the West (2 Saudi, 2 Iranian, 2 Emirati, 2 Qatari) and 8 from the East (4 Korean, 2 Japanese, 2 Chinese). Here’s a look back on the key talking points from the first 6 matches of tournament play.

The Player

It may seem strange that one of the player’s that stood out the most in the ACL group stage, ultimately won’t be playing in the knockout stages, but Yang Xu of Shandong Luneng has proved over the last few months to be more than his lumbering target man frame. Despite their early exit, the CSL side more than contributed in front of goal, which Yang was very much part of much of the play going forward, scoring 6 goals in the group stage, tying him for the Golden Boot thus far with Guangzhou Evergrande’s Richard Goulart.

It all started slowly for Yang who initially placed as second fiddle to the blockbuster signing of Brazilian international Diego Tardelli. While Tardelli has yet to truly find his scoring boots domestically let alone in Asian competition, Yang has since developed a promising tandem with their record signing from Cortinthians. Yang picked up two goals off the bench in the opener in Vietnam against Binh Duong to turn things around for Shandong’s first victory, before 4 goals in 3, either side of a suspension after a silly attempt at a Maradona style goal saw him see red against group winners Jeonbuk Motors.

His game has generally centred on his hold up play, but recently he has in parts started to discover an eye for a goal, but has usually found fortune in erratic spurts. Ahead of the Asian Cup in January, Yang fired in four goals in three preparation matches before being largely used from the bench in the tournament proper. Erratic performances have followed; while his exploits have soared in the ACL, domestically he has been a let-down. For now at least, his impressive performances in Asia have forced Shandong to see Yang as an initial foil to Tardelli rather than an impact back up from the bench.

The Team

The West remains tight and difficult to predict going into the knockouts, however the strength of Al-Ahli of Jeddah can’t be underestimated after their promising progression from a tough group. One of only two unbeaten sides so far and second highest scorers in the West, Ahli’s management in particular of away matches, where they picked up 3 crucial draws illustrates the positive trajectory in which they are improving under Swiss coach Christian Gross. The Saudis have been impressive across the pitch and will be confident of returning to their successful continental performances seen only a few years ago.

The one area which has particularly garnered rave reviews has been Ahli’s attacking exploits. Golden boot contender in league and continental competition Syrian striker Omar Al-Somah has been devastating in front of goal, while backing him up in build-up play, experienced playmaker Taisir Al-Jassim and the ever improving Mustafa Al-Bassas on the flank have also provided a constant threat. Al-Jassim’s double at home to Tractor and Al-Somah’s brace away in Tabriz were the real catalysts in edging past their Persian competitors to progress through the group.

The month ahead will define Al-Ahli’s season, with crunch ties ahead including their two legged Round of 16 encounter in the ACL following their culmination in the Saudi Pro League title race, a title which they’ve not been able to secure for more than a decade. Ahli, who have already guaranteed 2nd place and ACL football for 2016, go into the final two weeks of the season with a realistic chance of overtaking Al-Nasr who will face outgoing league and regional champions Al-Hilal before the seasons out. The good old days are certainly returning to the Jeddah based club who could put themselves in a fantastic position ahead of the summer break by the end of May.

The Talking Point

The 2015 ACL draw promised much for the Uzbek Pro League, as for the first time in their history, they had a full cohort of 4 teams kicking off in the group stage. In previous editions they had been presented three slots, only once, but mostly two making their way in the tournament proper, but hopes this year were high that they could finally produce a squad that could finally fight the established order for a finals appearance. Three short months later and it’s well and truly over, as all four exited in miserable fashion, a disappointment further emphasised by the form of other nations such as Qatar and UAE who saw both of their representatives make it through to the knockout stages.

Many will and have been asking why the sudden lack of form, given they had previously been solidly performing without any finals success in previous editions. One theory that can quite obviously be pointed to is the lack of big money in Uzbek football. While Bunyodkor’s recent rise has been mainly been attributed to by a sudden influx of cash, the sums involved are dwarfed by the injections currently being pumped in by their Gulf neighbours. This has long been an area in which Uzbek clubs have overachieved, and often prevailed due to a greater understanding given much of the squads are injected full of Uzbek nationals often vying for the national side.

Elsewhere, domestic form has also suffered, with only one of the four ACL participants being able to break the top 4 domestic places this season, namely Bunyodkor have been in miserable form. Much of their attacking play has recently revolved around International Sardar Rashidov, who despite offering glimmers of his ability has been desperately poor in front of goal, leading his side to the worst of goal tallies in the continental competition. It was said before the recent Asian Cup that the Uzbek national side were in for a tough transition period, rather worryingly this looks to have spilled over into the domestic game earlier than had once been thought.