AFC Cup 2017 Qualifiers, Tertons and Three Star progress to the next stage

History was made today by FC Tertons from Bhutan as they have become the 1st Bhutanese club to progress to the next stage of an AFC competition after their amazing win 4-3 vs former AFC Cup participants Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited and this made them to win their group in an impressive campaign.

Three Star also progressed without playing after they had a help from Erchim who beat Nagaworld  1-0 to avoid Nagaworld to be equal in points with Three Star, Erchim got the only victory in the group but the group winner are the club from Nepal with 4 points followed by Erchim with 3 and Nagaworld that just got 1 point from their draw vs Three Star.

 

UEFA Champions League Playoffs 2nd leg Legia and Rostov advance to the Group Stage!

After 21 years of absence Legia Warszawa returns to the UEFA Champions League group stage and FK Rostov in their 1st appearance in the competition will play the UEFA Champions League group stage for the 1st time in their history, their season debut after beating Ajax in the playoffs, 1-1 in Amsterdam and 4-1 in Rostov and also in a competition where Leicester City will make their absolute debut.

Here are the pots allocation for the draw

AFC Cup 2017 qualifiers Dordoi advance! ACL16 Quarterfinals: Al Ain vs Lokomotiv

Dordoi vs Benfica Macau 2-1

Dordoi progressed to the next stage of the AFC Cup qualifiers after beating Benfica Macau and defending well their home advantage.

David Tetteh and Akhmataliev made the goals for the Kyrgyz side while Jose Felipe sord the only goal for the club from Macau.

Mirbek Akhmataliev was named the man of the match

Nagaworld vs Three Star 0-0

Three Star could have sealed their place in the next round if they should have won this match but Nagaworld hold them to a draw that could benefit the Cambodian side if they win their last match vs Erchim, for now the group winner will be decide between Three Star vs Nagaworld, this draw automatically eliminated Erchim who they doesn´t have nothing more to do just to play their last match vs Nagaworld, Nagaeorld can qualify if they surpass the goal difference that they have vs Three Star.

Tatung vs Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited 1-1

Tatung recorded their 2nd consecutive draw but are almost eliminated but a miracle can make them qualify for the next stage if Sheikh Russel and Tertons record a goaless draw in the next match.

ACL2016 Quarterfinals 1st leg Al Ain vs Lokomotiv Tashkent 0-0

 

Kosovo Superleague started!

Last weekend it was historic for Kosovo because of the season opening of their league(Raiffeisen Superliga)

This season is totally different from the previous one because now its like a new era for Kosovar football with Kosovo as the new UEFA member now their clubs can enter to European competitions the next season(2017-2018) and also finally the champion will have the opportunity to play the UEFA Champions League 1st qualifying round, this season(201617) Feronikeli he defending champions couldn´t enter because they didnpt meet the licensing criteria and also because of licensing requirements, and they could not provide a suitable stadium and UEFA did not allow them to play their home matches in a foreign country, the same also happened with the Kosovar cup champion.

Feronikeli is the defending champion but Prishtina the defending cup champion is the most decorated club with 10 league titles and will go with all their power to win their 11 title and also they want to be the 1st club who represents Kosovo in the UEFA Champions League.

AFC Cup 2017 Qualifiers Sunday action

Tatung vs Tertons FC 0-0

Historic result for the Bhutanese side who did a good match keeping at bay Tatung.

Three Star vs Erchim 2-0

Three Star produced a big surprise y defeating the Mongolian side in their own pitch, Erchim could not defend their conition of host team and succumbed to a team who played very good football.

Benfica Macau vs Rovers 4-2

Benfica Macau recorded their 1st ever win in an AFC tournament and are on pole position to qualify for the next stage of the AFC Cup Qualifiers, Rovers are the 1st elimnated team from this qualifiers but having the consolation of becoming the 1st club from Guam to play an AFC tournament and of course making history for Guam football.

AFC Cup 2017 Qualfying round: Dordoi FC vs Rovers FC

Dordoi from Kyrgyzstan started with the right foot their road to qualify for next year AFC Cup after they won 2-0 vs Rovers from Guam thanks to a double from International Kyrgyz player Anatoliy Vlasichev.

Anatoliy Vlasichev was named as the Man of the Match

Next match from Dordoi will be on August 21 vs Benfica Macau and a victory from Dordoi will proclaim them as the group winners and also the direct qualification to the next stage of qualification that will be next year.

 

AFC CUP 2017 Qualifying playoff preview

Tomorrow starts the qualifying playoff of the 2017 AFC Cup with 9 teams competing in 3 groups of 3 teams and only the group winners will qualify for next season tournament.

The Teams
Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Ltd (Bangladesh), FC Tertons (Bhutan), Nagaworld FC (Cambodia), Tatung FC (Chinese Taipei), Rovers FC (Guam), FC Dordoi (Kyrgyzstan), Casa Benfica (Macau), Erchim FC (Mongolia) and Three Star Club (Nepal).

Debutant teams are Rovers and Tertons, both teams are making their absolute debut in AFC competitions.

This tournament is historic for Guam because its the first time that a club from Guam will take part in an AFC tournament.

Erchim, Three Star and Dordoi, Tatung, Nagaworld returns after years of absence.

This will be the 2nd time in a row that Casa Benfica is participating in a qualifying playoff.

Tatung and Erchim took place in the last AFC President´s Cup in 2014, Three Star returns to an AFC tournament since 2013 when they took place in the AFC President´s Cup.

Last time that Dordoi took place in an AFC Cup qualifying playoff was in 2015 where they were eliminated by Ahal from Turkmenistan.

Dordoi is the only club featuring in this tournament that have won an AFC competition, the AFC President´s Cup in 2006 and 2007.

Tatung: the farthest they have come was in the AFC President´s Cup 2006 where they reached the semifinals only being eliminated by Vakhsh from Tajikistan. The last time they featured in an AFC competition was in the 2014 AFC President´s Cup

Sheikh Russel returns to continental action after playing this edition of the AFC Cup where they were located in group E with Ceres, Selangor and Tampines Rovers.

Its the 2nd time in a row that Casa Benfica will play vs a Kyrgyz team, last year they played vs Alga

Erchim and Three Star will play each other again this this qualifying tournament, the last time was in the 2013 AFC President´s Cup Group Stage Group B , Three Star Club won 2-0 vs Erchim and also i that same group featured a club from Chinese Taipei, that club was Taipower Company, in that opportunity Erchim and Three Star were the teams who qualified in that group and progressed to the final round that took place in Malaysia and also in that stage(Final round) they played each other, the result in that stage ended 1-1

This is the stadium that will host the Group B matches, MFF Football Centre in Ulaanbaatar

This is the stadium where Group A matches wll be played

Dordoi sport complex, Bishkek

This is the stadium where Group C matches will be played

Changlimithang stadium, Thimpu

UEFA Champions League 2016-17 playoffs

Debutants FC Rostov, Hapoel Beer Sheva from Israel and Dundalk from the Republic of Ireland are dreaming to enter to the group stage but first they must win their respective opponents, so far they have made a great performance.

After making a great campain last season in the Russian Premier League battling for the championship until the last matchday, FC Rostov now aims to enter the big scenario in Europe, the group stage, they eliminated RSC Anderlecht from Belgium, after a home draw they got a great victory in Brussels, now they face AFC Ajax.

Hapoel Beer Sheva defied all the odds and eliminated Sheriff Tiraspol and Olympiacos and now they will visit Celtic Park to play vs Celtic FC.

Dundalk eliminated FH from Iceland and then they shocked everyone by eliminating the team who was favorite in the polls: BATE Borisov from Belarus, now in the playoffs they will play vs another team who dreams to enter to the group stage after several years of trying, Legia last appearance wa 20 years ago and now they see this is the right time to qualify, this match will be for sure very interesting.

Promoted teams that will play 1st division in 2016-17 season

Many of them are promoted for the first time, others return to the 1st division after many years of being in 2nd division

Germany: SC Freiburg (2.Liga Meister) , Rasenballsport Leipzig

Spain: CD Leganes, Deportivo Alaves, CA Osasuna

France: FC Metz, AS Nancy Lorraine, Dijon

Switzerland: FC Lausanne Sport

Russia: FC Gazovik Orenburg, Arsenal Tula, FC Tom Tomsk

Italy: Cagliari, Crotone, Pescara

England: Hull City, Burnley, Middlesbrough

Scotland: Rangers FC

Slovakia: 1.FC Tatran Presov

Poland:Arka Gdynia

 

 

Important teams in Europe that now play in 2nd Division

Teams who competed in thwir respective league last season but were relegated and now in this 2016-17 they are competing in 2nd division

Germany: Hannover 96, Eintracht Frankfurt played relegation vs 1.FC Nurnberg and they won and saved from being relegated

Switzerland: FC Zurich

England: Newcastle United FC, Aston Villa

Russia: Dinamo Moscow

Italy: Hellas Verona

France: Stade Reims

Poland: Gornik Zabrze

Czech Republic: Sigma Olomouc, Banik Ostrava

Portugal:Academica Coimbra