Kuala Lumpur: The journey continues for the eight remaining teams in the AFC Challenge League™ 2024/25 on Wednesday, March 5 when the Knockout Stage kicks off.
West
The first of the last-eight showdowns takes place at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata at 7pm, where Group A winners East Bengal of India play host to Group B winners FC Arkadag. The home side, who won their maiden Super Cup in 2024, are appearing in a Knockout Stage for a fifth time and were AFC Cup™ semi-finalists in 2013. Their opponents from Turkmenistan, meanwhile, have enjoyed a remarkable rise since being founded in 2023 – two successive league and cup doubles have been achieved by winning all 66 domestic matches to date, and they will eye further progress on their Continental debut.
Having advanced as the best runners-up in the West Region to reach their third Knockout Stage, 17-time Kuwait Premier League champions Al Arabi SC are set to entertain Oman’s Al Seeb Club at 9.30pm at the Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah Stadium in Sulaibikhat. The away side, who won all three matches to top Group C, enjoyed a memorable Continental debut in 2022 when they lifted the AFC Cup™. Al Seeb are on track to clinch a second consecutive and fourth overall Oman Professional League crown, as they currently lead the 2024/25 standings after 15 games.
East
The first team to win five league titles in a row after their 2024 triumph, Tainan City FC of Chinese Taipei progressed as Group D runners-up and will stage their first leg at the Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium on March 6 with kick-off at 7pm against Indonesian outfit Madura United. Three-time league champions, the visitors topped Group E upon their first involvement in an AFC competition since featuring at the 1990/91 Asian Club Championship.
Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC are at home in the last of the first-leg clashes to Shan United FC of Myanmar, which gets underway on the same evening at 7pm, in Phnom Penh’s Morodok Techo National Stadium. The Cambodian club, who clinched a domestic double in 2023/24 and are leading this season’s standings, advanced as Group E runners-up and have past experience with an AFC President’s Cup appearance in 2014. Shan United, who reached a Knockout Stage at the eighth time of asking after topping Group D, captured the 2024 Myanmar National League trophy earlier this month – their fifth in a row and record sixth overall. They too have previously participated in the AFC President’s Cup (2008 and 2009) and will aim to replicate their domestic form here, having been unbeaten in the league since February 2020 – a run that has spanned a remarkable 77 matches.
The second-leg fixtures will take place on March 12 and 13, with the four victorious teams moving on to play the two-legged Semi-finals between April 9 and 17. The 2024/25 season will then culminate in the single-leg Final on May 10, 2025, with at least USD1.3 million in prize money on offer for the champions.
All times indicated are in respective local times.
East Bengal's AFC Challenge League quarterfinal against Turkmenistan's FC Arkadag will be exclusively on FanCode. The first leg is at home on Wednesday at 7pm. Away clash on March 12 at 4pm.
East Bengal's AFC Challenge League quarterfinal against Turkmenistan's FC Arkadag will be exclusively on FanCode. The first leg is at home on Wednesday at 7pm. Away clash on March 12 at 4pm.
No major hopes for EB, I think Oscar has turned things around but they come with 2 victories recently in AFC. Turkmenistan national squad has 13 players out of 25 from this club. 4-5 of these players trolled our national team last when we played. Our Indian contingent has to step up to have any chance
East Bengal's AFC Challenge League quarterfinal against Turkmenistan's FC Arkadag will be exclusively on FanCode. The first leg is at home on Wednesday at 7pm. Away clash on March 12 at 4pm.
No major hopes for EB, I think Oscar has turned things around but they come with 2 victories recently in AFC. Turkmenistan national squad has 13 players out of 25 from this club. 4-5 of these players trolled our national team last when we played. Our Indian contingent has to step up to have any chance
This really shows where EB and most of ISL clubs levels. Turks with no foreign contingent are able to beat us. They had really pacy winger in that whole game. EB's plan and I don't think it's wrong is to contain them and take any chance they might get. It did not work out because of our quality of players. Football is won with 11 players. No matter if we take 5 foreign player onto the field we still won't win unless we have a complete squad.
Only MB has close enough squad which is not amateur enough in all positions. We used to complain in this forum it was due to the circus and short duration. Now we have close to 14 teams, Now we have a longer season. Now we just need to admit our players are shit.
Comments
India, Oman, and Bahrain switched places in the top 10, which all gives 1+1 slot in ACL Two
Turkmenistan & Lebanon also switched places in 11-12 spots, which both gives 0+1 ACL2 and 1 ACGL slot
Tajikistan & Kuwait still have chance to make it to the top 12
https://x.com/FootyRankings
https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_challenge_league.html/news/challengeleague-contenders-eye-knockout-stage-success
https://x.com/MarcusMergulhao/status/1896894550838489515
Only MB has close enough squad which is not amateur enough in all positions. We used to complain in this forum it was due to the circus and short duration. Now we have close to 14 teams, Now we have a longer season. Now we just need to admit our players are shit.
Messi Bouli gave EB the lead in the 2nd minute but two late goals in the 89th min and in added time ensured Arkadag's victory
EB played with 10 men for about 60 mins as Chunga was shown a red card in the 33rd minute.