As the smoke cleared from the second round of the Asian Champions League quarterfinals, we witnessed three exciting matches. Riyadh Crescent, Al Ain and Ulsan HD all won their matches by a wide margin to move into the top four. The final four of the AFC Champions League is now in sight, with Shandong Taishan and Yokohama Mariners battling it out for the final spot.
We'll start by focusing on the match between Riyadh Crescent and Jeddah. This match is the highlight of this season's AFC Champions League. In the first round, Riyadh Crescent showed its strength and dominance by winning 2-0. Back at home, although Jeddah United fought hard, they were unable to break through against Riyadh Crescent's solid defense and sharp counterattacks. In the second half, Shahrani and Malcolm's goals helped Riyadh Crescent seal a 2-0 win and advance to the quarterfinals with a 4-0 aggregate score.
The other marquee match between Al Ain and Riyadh was equally exciting. Riyadh was two goals down at home, but they didn't give up. They scored three goals in a row to equalize the total score with their tenacity and team spirit. After extra time, the two teams went head-to-head and the match was decided by a penalty shootout. Although Riyadh lost the penalty shootout, their performance won the respect and applause of the fans.
Meanwhile, the match between Ulsan HD and Jeonbuk Hyundai is equally intriguing. These two South Korean teams have been in the AFC Champions League for a long time, and there are always sparks flying when they face off against each other. In this match, Ulsan HD eliminated Jeonbuk Hyundai with a 2-1 aggregate score after three years with a 1-0 shutout in the second half of extra time, returning to the quarterfinals after three years.
As of now, the top four spots in the AFC Champions League are basically locked, namely Riyadh Crescent, Al Ain and Ulsan HD. The last seat will be fought between Shandong Taishan and Yokohama Mariners. Shandong Taishan, as the only team in the Chinese Super League (CSL), has the important task of competing for the glory of the CSL. After losing 1-2 on the road in the first round, they will have to go all out in the second round to achieve promotion. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for Shandong Taishan. They need to prove their worth with their strength and win the honor for the Chinese Super League.
Specifically, Shandong Taishan is expected to advance to the quarterfinals if they net two goals in the second round, i.e. a 2-0 win. A 3-0 win in regulation time would have been more prudent. After all, the victories of Riyadh and Al Ain have proved everything. I'm afraid Shandong Taishan will have a hard time withstanding extra time!
