2018 AFC Champions League knockout stage
The 2018 AFC Champions League knockout stage is played from 7 May to 10 November 2018.[1] A total of 16 teams compete in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2018 AFC Champions League.[2]
Qualified teams
The winners and runners-up of each of the eight groups in the group stage advance to the round of 16, with both West Region (Groups A–D) and East Region (Groups E–H) having eight qualified teams.
| Region | Group | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Region | A |  |
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| B |  |
 | |
| C | |
| |
| D | |
| |
| East Region | E |  |
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| F | |
| |
| G | |
 | |
| H | |
 |
Format
In the knockout stage, the 16 teams play a single-elimination tournament, with the teams split into the two regions until the final. Each tie is played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule, extra time (away goals do not apply in extra time) and penalty shoot-out are used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations Article 11.3).[2]
Schedule
The schedule of each round is as follows.[1] Matches in the West Region are played on Mondays and Tuesdays, while matches in the East Region are played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
| Round | First leg | Second leg |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | 7–9 May 2018 | 14–16 May 2018 |
| Quarter-finals | 27–29 August 2018 | 17–19 September 2018 |
| Semi-finals | 2–3 October 2018 | 23–24 October 2018 |
| Final | 3 November 2018 | 10 November 2018 |
Bracket
The bracket of the knockout stage is determined as follows:
| Round | Matchups | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | (Group winners host second leg)
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| Quarter-finals | (Matchups and order of legs decided by draw, involving four round of 16 winners each in West Region and East Region)
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| Semi-finals | (Winners QF1 and QF3 host first leg, Winners QF2 and QF4 host second leg)
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| Final | (Winner SF2 host first leg, Winner SF1 host second leg, as reversed from previous season's final)
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The bracket was decided after the draw for the quarter-finals, which was held on 23 May 2018, 16:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[3][4][5]
| Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||||||||||
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3 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
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2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
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0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||
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0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
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0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
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3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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3 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
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2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
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0 | 3 | 3 (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
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3 | 0 | 3 (4) | |||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
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0 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
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0 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
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3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
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2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
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0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
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4 | 4 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
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0 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
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3 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
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2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
Round of 16
Summary
In the round of 16, the winners of one group played the runners-up of another group from the same region, with the group winners hosting the second leg, and the matchups determined by the group stage draw.
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Jazira |
4–4 (a) | |
3–2 | 1–2 |
| Al-Sadd |
4–3 | |
2–1 | 2–2 |
| Zob Ahan |
2–3 | |
1–0 | 1–3 |
| Al-Ain |
3–8 | |
2–4 | 1–4 |
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tianjin Quanjian |
2–2 (a) | |
0–0 | 2–2 |
| Buriram United |
3–4 | |
3–2 | 0–2 |
| Ulsan Hyundai |
1–3 | |
1–0 | 0–3 |
| Kashima Antlers |
4–3 | |
3–1 | 1–2 |
West Region
| Persepolis |
2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Live Report Stats Report |
|
4–4 on aggregate. Persepolis won on away goals.
| Al-Sadd |
2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Live Report Stats Report |
|
| Al-Ahli |
2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |
|
Al-Sadd won 4–3 on aggregate.
| Zob Ahan |
1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Live Report Stats Report |
Esteghlal won 3–2 on aggregate.
| Al-Ain |
2–4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |
|
| Al-Duhail |
4–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |
|
Al-Duhail won 8–3 on aggregate.
East Region
2–2 on aggregate. Tianjin Quanjian won on away goals.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors won 4–3 on aggregate.
| Suwon Samsung Bluewings |
3–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Live Report Stats Report |
Suwon Samsung Bluewings won 3–1 on aggregate.
Kashima Antlers won 4–3 on aggregate.
Quarter-finals
Summary
The draw for the quarter-finals was held on 23 May 2018.[5] In the quarter-finals, the four teams from the West Region played in two ties, and the four teams from the East Region played in two ties, with the matchups and order of legs decided by draw, without any seeding or country protection.
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esteghlal |
3–5 | |
1–3 | 2–2 |
| Al-Duhail |
2–3 | |
1–0 | 1–3 |
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kashima Antlers |
5–0 | |
2–0 | 3–0 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
3–3 (2–4 p) | |
0–3 | 3–0 (a.e.t.) |
West Region
Al-Sadd won 5–3 on aggregate.
Persepolis won 3–2 on aggregate.
East Region
Kashima Antlers won 5–0 on aggregate.
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
0–3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |
|
| Suwon Samsung Bluewings |
0–3 (a.e.t.) | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |
| |
| Penalties | ||
| 4–2 | ||
3–3 on aggregate. Suwon Samsung Bluewings won 4–2 on penalties.
Semi-finals
Summary
In the semi-finals, the two quarter-final winners from the West Region play each other, and the two quarter-final winners from the East Region play each other, with the order of legs determined by the quarter-final draw.
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Sadd |
SF1 | |
0–1 | 23 Oct |
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kashima Antlers |
SF2 | |
3–2 | 24 Oct |
West Region
East Region
Final
In the final, the two semi-final winners play each other, with the order of legs (first leg hosted by team from the East Region, second leg hosted by team from the West Region) reversed from the previous season's final.
| Winner SF2 (East Region) |
v | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |
| Winner SF1 (West Region) |
v | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Report Stats Report |
Notes
- ↑ The Tianjin Quanjian v Kashima Antlers match will be played in Estádio Campo Desportivo, Macau instead of Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, Tianjin.[6]
References
- 1 2 "AFC Competitions Calendar 2018". AFC. 11 January 2018.
- 1 2 "2018 AFC Champions League Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC.
- ↑ "Impressive quarter-finalists promise thrills". AFC. 22 May 2018.
- ↑ "AFC Champions League 2018 Knockout Stage Official Draw". YouTube. 23 May 2018.
- 1 2 "Quarter-final ties confirmed". AFC. 23 May 2018.
- ↑ "亚足联官宣权健亚冠主场移师澳门 不在天津举行". Sina Sports. 3 September 2018.
External links
- AFC Champions League, the-AFC.com
- AFC Champions League 2018, stats.the-AFC.com