The 2010 AFC Cup was the seventh edition of the AFC Cup, a competition among clubs from member nations of the Asian Football Confederation.
With the Asian Football Confederation currently reviewing the format of the AFC Champions League between 2009 and 2010 season, significant changes were made in the way the competition is run, the teams that will qualify for the AFC Cup is also expected to be from different countries compared to the previous editions.
Qualification
The preliminary qualification scheme for the AFC 2010 was released in 2008.AFC PRO-LEAGUE AD-HOC COMMITTEE ASSESSMENT CHARTS A total of 33 clubs were due to participate in the 2010 AFC Cup (eventually reduced to 31).
Qualifying play-off (2 teams) The teams were from the following associations: Qatar Uzbekistan However, the qualifying play-off was not needed and both teams advanced automatically in the group stage after FIFA's suspension of the Iraqi Football Association was not lifted by 6 January 2010.
Group stage (32 teams) Qualifying play-off winner (eventually not played) 2 teams to qualify from each of the following associations: Hong Kong Iraq Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Maldives Oman Syria Yemen Both teams from Iraq were disqualified after FIFA's suspension on the Iraq Football Association was not lifted on 6 January 2010. 1 team to qualify from each of the following associations: Bahrain India Indonesia Malaysia Singapore Thailand Vietnam 6 losers from 2010 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs (including any of the 2009 AFC Cup finalists which fail to fulfil the criteria set by AFC to compete in the 2010 AFC Champions League, and thus directly enter the 2010 AFC Cup)
Notes Three teams from elite countries have been given a chance to take part in the 2010 AFC Cup competition, therefore a qualifying play-off match has been added to the calendar (eventually not played). For the second time in its history, teams from Kuwait will join the AFC Cup fray. Syrian clubs again reappear in the competition after winning the inaugural edition (Al Jaish) in 2004. A Qatari team will participate in the tournament for the first time.
Qualifying teams
The following is the list of participants confirmed by the AFC.Strong field for 2010 AFC Cup
West Asia (Groups A–E)TeamQualifying methodAppLast App Al-Riffa 2008–09 Bahrain Classification Soccer League runners-up 1st Kingfisher East Bengal 2009–10 Indian Federation Cup winners 4th 2008 Al-Wahdat 2008–09 Jordan League champions2008–09 Jordan FA Cup winners 5th 2009 Shabab Al-Ordon 2008–09 Jordan League runners-up 3rd 2008 Al-Kuwait1 2009 AFC Cup winners2009 Kuwait Emir Cup winners 2nd 2009 Al-Qadsia 2008–09 Kuwaiti Premier League champions 1st Kazma 2008–09 Kuwaiti Premier League runners-up 1st Al-Nejmeh 2008–09 Lebanese Premier League champions 5th 2007 Al-Ahed 2008–09 Lebanese FA Cup winners 4th 2009 Al-Nahda 2008–09 Omani League champions 2nd 2008 Saham 2009 Sultan Qaboos Cup winners 1st Al-Rayyan2 2008–09 Qatar Stars League 3rd place 1st Al-Ittihad 2008–09 Syrian Premier League champions 1st Al-Jaish 2008–09 Syrian Premier League 3rd place 2nd 2004 Nasaf Qarshi2 2009 Uzbek League 3rd place 1st Al-Hilal 2008–09 Yemeni League champions 3rd 2009 Al-Ahli 2009 Yemeni President Cup winners 2nd 2008 Al-Karamah 2010 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off losers 2nd 2009 Churchill Brothers 2010 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off losers 1stEast Asia (Groups F–H)TeamQualifying methodAppLast App South China 2008–09 Hong Kong First Division League champions 3rd 2009 Tai Po 2009 Hong Kong FA Cup winners 1st Persiwa Wamena3 2008–09 Indonesia Super League runners-up 1st Selangor 2009 Super League Malaysia champions 2nd 2006 VB Sports Club 2009 Dhivehi League champions 3rd 2009 Victory SC 2009 Maldives FA Cup winners 3rd 2008 Geylang United 2009 Singapore Cup winners 2nd 2004 Thai Port 2009 Thai FA Cup winners 1st Bình Dương 2009 V-League runners-up 2nd 2009 Sriwijaya FC 2010 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off losers 1st SHB Đà Nẵng 2010 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off losers 1st Muangthong United 2010 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off losers 1st
1 Al-Kuwait failed to fulfil the criteria set by AFC to compete in the 2010 AFC Champions League, and so directly enter the 2010 AFC Cup.Karamah vying for ACL 2010 play-off glory
2 Nasaf Qarshi were due to host Al-Rayyan in the qualifying play-off, with the winner advancing to the group stage (Group E). However, both teams advanced automatically to the group stage after the two teams from Iraq, Arbil (Group C) and Najaf (Group B), were disqualified after FIFA's suspension on the Iraq Football Association was not lifted on 6 January 2010.AFC disqualifies Iraq clubs from AFC Cup As a result, the tournament was reduced to 31 teams.
3 Negeri Sembilan FA (second representative of Malaysia) withdrew, and was replaced by Persiwa Wamena.
Schedule The 2010 AFC Cup will have the same format as the 2009 AFC Cup.
DateAl Rayyan, Nasaf and Persiwa in AFC Cup 2010Event7 DecemberDraw for qualifying play-off and group stage23 JanuaryQualifying play-off (eventually not played)8 FebruaryDraw for ACL play-off losers in group stageAFC Cup: Vacant slots to be filled up on Monday 23–24 FebruaryGroup stage Matchday 1 16–17 MarchGroup stage Matchday 2 23–24 MarchGroup stage Matchday 3 6–7 AprilGroup stage Matchday 4 20–21 AprilGroup stage Matchday 5DateEvent 27–28 AprilGroup stage Matchday 6 11–12 MayRound of 1625 MayDraw for remaining rounds& AFC Cup knockout stage draw14 SeptemberQuarter-finals 1st leg21 SeptemberQuarter-finals 2nd leg5 OctoberSemi-finals 1st leg19 OctoberSemi-finals 2nd leg6 NovemberFinal
Group stage
The draw for the group stage was held on 7 December 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Preliminary picture cloudy for AFC Cup champions The ACL play-off losers were placed in their groups on 8 February 2010.‘Double Match System’ determines final AFC Cup grouping
Each club plays double round-robin (home and away) against fellow three group members, a total of 6 matches each. Clubs receive 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, 0 points for a loss. The clubs are ranked according to points and tie breakers are in following order: Greater number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned; Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned; (Away goals do not apply) Greater number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned; (Away goals do not apply) Goal difference in all the group matches; Greater number of goals scored in all the group matches; Kicks from the penalty mark if only two teams are involved and they are both on the field of play; Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches; (1 point for each yellow card, 3 points for each red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for each direct red card, 4 points for each yellow card followed by a direct red card) Drawing of lots.
Winners and runners-up of each group will qualify for the next round.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Knockout stage
Round of 16 The matches were played on 11 and 12 May 2010.
Quarter-finals The draw for the remaining rounds was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 25 May 2010.Tough Thai test for Al Karamah Because of the country protection rule, if there are two clubs from the same country, they will not face each other in the quarter-finals. Therefore, the two clubs from Syria, Kuwait, and Thailand may not be drawn with each other in the quarter-finals.Open ACL draw for Koreans; Saudis separated
The first legs were played on 14 and 15 September, and the second legs were played on 21 and 22 September 2010.
Semi-finals The first legs were played on 5 October, and the second legs were played on 19 October 2010.
Final
The final was played on 6 November 2010. It was a one-leg match originally set to be played at the host stadium of one of the finalists, but was changed to a larger capacity stadium one week before the final.AFC Cup final venue changed
AFC Cup 2010 WinnersAl-IttihadFirst Title
Statistics
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Total 1 Afonso Alves Al-Rayyan 3 2 2 1 1 9 2 Gastón Merlo Đà Nẵng 1 1 1 2 3 8 3 Fábio César Montezine Al-Rayyan 1 2 2 2 7 Huỳnh Kesley Alves Bình Dương 1 3 2 1 7 Bader Al-Mutwa Al Qadsia 2 1 1 1 1 1 7 5 Khaled Al-Azemi Al Kuwait 2 4 6 7 Leonardo Ferreira da Silva South China 2 1 2 5 Keith Gumbs Sriwijaya 2 1 2 5 Ali Ashfaq VB Sports Club 1 1 1 1 1 5 Anoure Obiora Sriwijaya 3 1 1 5 Abdulrahman Mubarak Al-Riffa 1 1 1 1 1 5
References
External links AFC Cup Official Page