2018 AFC Cup group stage

The 2018 AFC Cup group stage was played from 10 February to 16 May 2018.[1] A total of 36 teams competed in the group stage to decide the 11 places in the knockout stage of the 2018 AFC Cup.[2]

Draw edit

The draw for the group stage was held on 6 December 2017, 14:00 MYT (UTC+8), at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[3][4] The 36 teams were drawn into nine groups of four: three groups each in the West Asia Zone (Groups A–C) and the ASEAN Zone (Groups F–H), and one group each in the Central Asia Zone (Group D), the South Asia Zone (Group E), and the East Asia Zone (Group I). Teams from the same association in the West Asia Zone and ASEAN Zone could not be drawn into the same group.

The seeding of each team in the draw was determined by their association and their qualifying position within their association. The mechanism of the draw was as follows:

  • For the West Asia Zone, a draw was held for the five associations with two direct entrants (Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Bahrain, Lebanon) to determine the three associations occupying seeds 1 and 2, with seeds 1 placed in order for Groups A, B and C, and the two associations occupying seeds 3 and 4, with seeds 3 placed in order for Groups A and B. The remaining teams were then allocated to groups according to the rules set by AFC.
  • For the ASEAN Zone, a draw was held for the five associations with two direct entrants (Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore) to determine the three associations occupying seeds 1 and 2, with seeds 1 placed in order for Groups F, G and H, and the two associations occupying seeds 3 and 4, with seeds 3 placed in Groups F and G. The remaining teams were then allocated to the groups according to the rules set by AFC.
  • For the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, and the East Asia Zone, no draw was held, and the teams were allocated to the groups according to their association ranking published on 30 November 2016.

The following 36 teams entered into the group-stage draw, which included the 31 direct entrants and the five winners of the play-off round of the qualifying play-offs, whose identity was not known at the time of the draw.

Zone Groups Seed 1 Seed 2 Seed 3 Seed 4
West Asia Zone A–C   Malkiya[note 1]   Manama[note 1]   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya[note 1]   Al-Zawraa[note 1]
  Al-Ahed[note 1]   Al-Ansar[note 1]   Al-Jaish[note 1]   Al-Wahda[note 1]
  Al-Faisaly[note 1]   Al-Jazeera[note 1]   Dhofar   Al-Suwaiq (Play-off West Asia)
Central Asia Zone D   Istiklol   Altyn Asyr[note 2]   Alay Osh   Ahal (Play-off Central Asia)
South Asia Zone E   Aizawl   New Radiant   Abahani Limited Dhaka[note 2]   Bengaluru (Play-off South Asia)
ASEAN Zone F–H   Ceres–Negros[note 2][note 3]   Global Cebu[note 2][note 3]   Shan United[note 3]   Yangon United[note 3]
  Bali United[note 3]   Persija Jakarta[note 3]   FLC Thanh Hóa[note 3]   Sông Lam Nghệ An[note 3]
  Tampines Rovers[note 3]   Home United[note 3]   Johor Darul Ta'zim   Boeung Ket Angkor (Play-off ASEAN)
East Asia Zone I   April 25   Hang Yuen   Benfica de Macau   Hwaebul (Play-off East Asia)
Standby teams[note 4]

Format edit

In the group stage, each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The following teams advanced to the knockout stage:

  • The winners of each group and the best runners-up in the West Asia Zone and the ASEAN Zone advanced to the Zonal semi-finals.
  • The winners of each group in the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, and the East Asia Zone advanced to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.

Tiebreakers edit

The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers were applied in the following order (Regulations Article 10.5):[2]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  4. Away goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  5. If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
  6. Goal difference in all group matches;
  7. Goals scored in all group matches;
  8. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they met in the last round of the group;
  9. Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
  10. Team from the higher-ranked association.

Schedule edit

The schedule of each matchday was as follows (W: West Asia Zone; C: Central Asia Zone; S: South Asia Zone; A: ASEAN Zone; E: East Asia Zone).[1]

  • Matches in the West Asia Zone were played on Mondays and Tuesdays (Matchdays 1–3: two groups on Monday, one group on Tuesday; Matchdays 4–6: one group on Monday, two groups on Tuesday).
  • Matches in the ASEAN Zone were played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (Matchdays 1–3: two groups on Tuesday, one group on Wednesday; Matchdays 4–6: one group on Tuesday, two groups on Wednesday).
  • Matches in the Central Asia Zone, the South Asia Zone, and the East Asia Zone were played on Wednesdays; if two teams from the same association played at home on the same matchday, one match was moved to Tuesdays.
Matchday Dates Matches
W, A C, S, E
Matchday 1 10 & 12–14 February 2018 7 March & 5 April 2018 Team 1 vs. Team 4, Team 3 vs. Team 2
Matchday 2 26–28 February 2018 13–14 March 2018 Team 4 vs. Team 3, Team 2 vs. Team 1
Matchday 3 5–7 March & 16 April 2018 10–11 April 2018 Team 4 vs. Team 2, Team 1 vs. Team 3
Matchday 4 12–14 March & 17 April 2018 25 April 2018 Team 2 vs. Team 4, Team 3 vs. Team 1
Matchday 5 9–11 April 2018 1–2 May 2018 Team 4 vs. Team 1, Team 2 vs. Team 3
Matchday 6 23–25 April 2018 16 May 2018 Team 1 vs. Team 2, Team 3 vs. Team 4

Groups edit

Group A edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification JAZ QUW MAL SUW
1   Al-Jazeera 6 4 2 0 13 6 +7 14 Zonal semi-finals 1–1 1–0 4–0
2   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 6 3 3 0 11 7 +4 12 2–2 1–1 2–0
3   Malkiya 6 2 1 3 11 10 +1 7 1–2 3–4 4–1
4   Al-Suwaiq 6 0 0 6 4 16 −12 0 2–3 0–1 1–2
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya  2–2  Al-Jazeera
Live Report
Stats Report
Malkiya  4–1  Al-Suwaiq
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Suwaiq  0–1  Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 2,300
Al-Jazeera  1–0  Malkiya
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Suwaiq  2–3  Al-Jazeera
Live Report
Stats Report
Malkiya  3–4  Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Jazeera  4–0  Al-Suwaiq
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Suwaiq  1–2  Malkiya
Live Report
Stats Report
Al-Jazeera  1–1  Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya  1–1  Malkiya
Live Report
Stats Report

Malkiya  1–2  Al-Jazeera
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 596
Referee: Timur Faizullin (Kyrgyzstan)
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya  2–0  Al-Suwaiq
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 4,630
Referee: Hanna Hattab (Syria)

Group B edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AHE ZAW JAI MAN
1   Al-Ahed 6 3 3 0 11 5 +6 12 Zonal semi-finals 1–1 1–1 3–1
2   Al-Zawraa 6 2 4 0 8 5 +3 10 1–1 0–0 2–1
3   Al-Jaish 6 1 4 1 4 6 −2 7 1–4 1–1 1–0
4   Manama 6 0 1 5 3 10 −7 1 0–1 1–3 0–0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Al-Ahed  1–1  Al-Zawraa
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 1,235
Referee: Timur Faizullin (Kyrgyzstan)
Manama  0–0  Al-Jaish
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Zawraa  0–0  Al-Jaish
Live Report
Stats Report
Manama  0–1  Al-Ahed
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Ahed  1–1  Al-Jaish
Live Report
Stats Report

Manama  1–3  Al-Zawraa
Live Report
Stats Report
Al-Jaish  1–4  Al-Ahed
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Zawraa  1–1  Al-Ahed
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Zawraa  2–1  Manama
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 6,765
Referee: Yaqoob Abdul Baki (Oman)

Al-Ahed  3–1  Manama
Live Report
Stats Report
Al-Jaish  1–1  Al-Zawraa
Live Report
Stats Report

Group C edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification FAI DHO ANS WAH
1   Al-Faisaly 6 4 1 1 10 5 +5 13 Zonal semi-finals 2–0 1–0 2–2
2   Dhofar 6 2 2 2 4 5 −1 8 1–0 0–2 2–0
3   Al-Ansar 6 2 1 3 6 7 −1 7 1–3 1–1 1–0
4   Al-Wahda 6 1 2 3 5 8 −3 5 1–2 0–0 2–1
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Dhofar  0–2  Al-Ansar
Live Report
Stats Report
Al-Faisaly  2–2  Al-Wahda
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Wahda  0–0  Dhofar
Live Report
Stats Report
Al-Ansar  1–3  Al-Faisaly
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Wahda  2–1  Al-Ansar
Live Report
Stats Report
Al-Faisaly  2–0  Dhofar
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Ansar  1–0  Al-Wahda
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 3,588
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)
Dhofar  1–0  Al-Faisaly
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Wahda  1–2  Al-Faisaly
Live Report
Stats Report
Al-Ansar  1–1  Dhofar
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Faisaly  1–0  Al-Ansar
Live Report
Stats Report
Dhofar  2–0  Al-Wahda
Live Report
Stats Report

Group D edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ALT IST AHA ALA
1   Altyn Asyr 6 4 2 0 17 7 +10 14 Inter-zone play-off semi-finals 2–2 1–0 5–0
2   Istiklol 6 4 1 1 10 7 +3 13 2–3 1–0 1–0
3   Ahal 6 2 1 3 8 5 +3 7 0–0 0–1 5–0
4   Alay Osh 6 0 0 6 7 23 −16 0 3–6 2–3 2–3
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Alay Osh  3–6  Altyn Asyr
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 2,958
Istiklol  1–0  Ahal
Live Report
Stats Report

Ahal  5–0  Alay Osh
Live Report
Stats Report
Altyn Asyr  2–2  Istiklol
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 8,600
Referee: Ali Reda (Lebanon)

Ahal  0–0  Altyn Asyr
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 15,600
Istiklol  1–0  Alay Osh
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 8,533
Referee: Bijan Heidari (Iran)

Alay Osh  2–3  Istiklol
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 3,800
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
Altyn Asyr  1–0  Ahal
Live Report
Stats Report

Ahal  0–1  Istiklol
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 18,456
Altyn Asyr  5–0  Alay Osh
Live Report
Stats Report

Alay Osh  2–3  Ahal
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 3,000
Istiklol  2–3  Altyn Asyr
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 5,000

Group E edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BFC RAD ABD AIZ
1   Bengaluru 6 5 0 1 14 3 +11 15 Inter-zone play-off semi-finals 1–0 1–0 5–0
2   New Radiant 6 4 0 2 12 5 +7 12 2–0 5–1 3–1
3   Abahani Limited Dhaka 6 1 1 4 5 12 −7 4 0–4 0–1 1–1
4   Aizawl 6 1 1 4 5 16 −11 4[a] 1–3 2–1 0–3
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ Head-to-head results: Aizawl 0–3 Abahani Limited Dhaka, Abahani Limited Dhaka 1–1 Aizawl.
Abahani Limited Dhaka  0–1  New Radiant
Live Report
Stats Report

New Radiant  3–1  Aizawl
Live Report
Stats Report

Aizawl  1–3  Bengaluru
Live Report
Stats Report

Bengaluru  1–0  New Radiant
Live Report
Stats Report
Aizawl  0–3  Abahani Limited Dhaka
Live Report
Stats Report

Abahani Limited Dhaka  1–1  Aizawl
  • Onuoha   31' (pen.)
Live Report
Stats Report
New Radiant  2–0  Bengaluru
Live Report
Stats Report

New Radiant  5–1  Abahani Limited Dhaka
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 3,843
Bengaluru  5–0  Aizawl
Live Report
Stats Report

Aizawl  2–1  New Radiant
Live Report
Stats Report
Abahani Limited Dhaka  0–4  Bengaluru
Live Report
Stats Report

Group F edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification HOM CER BKA SHA
1   Home United 6 4 1 1 15 6 +9 13[a] Zonal semi-finals 1–1 6–0 3–2
2   Ceres–Negros 6 4 1 1 17 3 +14 13[a] 0–2 9–0 2–0
3   Boeung Ket Angkor 6 2 0 4 8 24 −16 6 3–2 0–4 1–2
4   Shan United 6 1 0 5 5 12 −7 3 0–1 0–1 1–4
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head results: Home United 1–1 Ceres–Negros, Ceres–Negros 0–2 Home United.
Shan United  0–1  Home United
Live Report
Stats Report
Ceres–Negros  9–0  Boeung Ket Angkor
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 2,678
Referee: Zhang Lei (China)

Boeung Ket Angkor  1–2  Shan United
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 1,635
Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
Home United  1–1  Ceres–Negros
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 1,331
Referee: Shaun Evans (Australia)

Boeung Ket Angkor  3–2  Home United
Live Report
Stats Report
Ceres–Negros  2–0  Shan United
Live Report
Stats Report

Shan United  0–1  Ceres–Negros
Live Report
Stats Report
Home United  6–0  Boeung Ket Angkor
Live Report
Stats Report

Boeung Ket Angkor  0–4  Ceres–Negros
Live Report
Stats Report
Home United  3–2  Shan United
Live Report
Stats Report

Ceres–Negros  0–2  Home United
Live Report
Stats Report
Shan United  1–4  Boeung Ket Angkor
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 100

Group G edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification YAN GLO THA BAL
1   Yangon United 6 4 1 1 15 9 +6 13 Zonal semi-finals 3–0 2–1 3–2
2   Global Cebu 6 2 2 2 9 10 −1 8 2–1 3–3 1–1
3   FLC Thanh Hóa 6 1 3 2 9 11 −2 6 3–3 1–0 0–0
4   Bali United 6 1 2 3 8 11 −3 5 1–3 1–3 3–1
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
FLC Thanh Hóa  1–0  Global Cebu
Live Report
Stats Report
Bali United  1–3  Yangon United
Live Report
Stats Report

Yangon United  2–1  FLC Thanh Hóa
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 1,350
Referee: Hasan Akrami (Iran)
Global Cebu  1–1  Bali United
Live Report
Stats Report

Bali United  3–1  FLC Thanh Hóa
Live Report
Stats Report
Yangon United  3–0  Global Cebu
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 815

Global Cebu  2–1  Yangon United
Live Report
Stats Report

Yangon United  3–2  Bali United
Live Report
Stats Report
Global Cebu  3–3  FLC Thanh Hóa
Live Report
Stats Report

Bali United  1–3  Global Cebu
Live Report
Stats Report
FLC Thanh Hóa  3–3  Yangon United
Live Report
Stats Report

Group H edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification PSJ SLN JDT TAM
1   Persija Jakarta 6 4 1 1 13 6 +7 13 Zonal semi-finals 1–0 4–0 4–1
2   Sông Lam Nghệ An 6 3 1 2 8 5 +3 10[a] 0–0 2–0 2–1
3   Johor Darul Ta'zim 6 3 1 2 8 9 −1 10[a] 3–0 3–2 2–1
4   Tampines Rovers 6 0 1 5 5 14 −9 1 2–4 0–2 0–0
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head results: Sông Lam Nghệ An 2–0 Johor Darul Ta'zim, Johor Darul Ta'zim 3–2 Sông Lam Nghệ An.
Johor Darul Ta'zim  3–0  Persija Jakarta
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 18,600

Sông Lam Nghệ An  2–0  Johor Darul Ta'zim
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 6,000
Persija Jakarta  4–1  Tampines Rovers
Live Report
Stats Report

Sông Lam Nghệ An  0–0  Persija Jakarta
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 10,000

Persija Jakarta  1–0  Sông Lam Nghệ An
Live Report
Stats Report
Johor Darul Ta'zim  2–1  Tampines Rovers
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 8,750
Referee: Payam Heidari (Iran)

Sông Lam Nghệ An  2–1  Tampines Rovers
Live Report
Stats Report
Persija Jakarta  4–0  Johor Darul Ta'zim
Live Report
Stats Report

Tampines Rovers  2–4  Persija Jakarta
Live Report
Stats Report
Johor Darul Ta'zim  3–2  Sông Lam Nghệ An
Live Report
Stats Report

Group I edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification APR BEN HWA HAN
1   April 25 6 6 0 0 23 2 +21 18 Inter-zone play-off semi-finals 8–0 1–0 5–1
2   Benfica de Macau 6 4 0 2 13 15 −2 12 0–2 3–0 3–2
3   Hwaebul 6 2 0 4 9 10 −1 6 0–2 2–3 6–1
4   Hang Yuen 6 0 0 6 6 24 −18 0 1–5 1–4 0–1
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
April 25  1–0  Hwaebul
Live Report
Stats Report
Benfica de Macau  3–2  Hang Yuen
Live Report
Stats Report

Hwaebul  2–3  Benfica de Macau
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Timur Faizullin (Kyrgyzstan)
Hang Yuen  1–5  April 25
Live Report
Stats Report
Fu Jen Catholic University Stadium, New Taipei
Attendance: 914
Referee: Ahmed Al-Ali (Jordan)

Hwaebul  6–1  Hang Yuen
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Zhang Lei (China)
April 25  8–0  Benfica de Macau
Live Report
Stats Report

Hang Yuen  0–1  Hwaebul
Live Report
Stats Report
Fu Jen Catholic University Stadium, New Taipei
Attendance: 369
Referee: Ali Shaban (Kuwait)
Benfica de Macau  0–2  April 25
Live Report
Stats Report

Hwaebul  0–2  April 25
Live Report
Stats Report
Hang Yuen  1–4  Benfica de Macau
Live Report
Stats Report
Fu Jen Catholic University Stadium, New Taipei
Attendance: 388
Referee: Ali Reda (Lebanon)

April 25  5–1  Hang Yuen
Live Report
Stats Report
Benfica de Macau  3–0  Hwaebul
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 350
Referee: Shaun Evans (Australia)

Ranking of second-placed teams edit

West Asia Zone edit

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 A   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 6 3 3 0 11 7 +4 12 Zonal semi-finals
2 B   Al-Zawraa 6 2 4 0 8 5 +3 10
3 C   Dhofar 6 2 2 2 4 5 −1 8
Source: AFC

ASEAN Zone edit

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 F   Ceres–Negros 6 4 1 1 17 3 +14 13 Zonal semi-finals
2 H   Sông Lam Nghệ An 6 3 1 2 8 5 +3 10
3 G   Global Cebu 6 2 2 2 9 10 −1 8
Source: AFC

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j The seeding of the first and second group stage teams from Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Bahrain, and Lebanon was determined by draw.
  2. ^ a b c d e The identity of the first group stage teams from Turkmenistan and Bangladesh, and the first and second group stage and standby teams from Philippines was not known at the time of the group-stage draw.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j The seeding of the first and second group stage teams from Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Singapore was determined by draw.
  4. ^ The standby teams would replace a team from the same association which played in the AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs and advanced to the AFC Champions League group stage. There were no standby teams from Bahrain (for Malkiya).
  5. ^ Meralco Manila, the 2017 Philippines Football League 3rd place, were supposed to be the standby team for the Philippines but the club was dissolved in January 2018.[5]
  6. ^ a b Teams from Iraq were not allowed to host their home matches in their country due to security concerns until March 2018,[6] when the ban was lifted by FIFA.[7]
  7. ^ The Al-Jazeera v Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya match was played in Al-Hassan Stadium, as the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup was held in Amman International Stadium in early to mid April.
  8. ^ The Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v Malkiya match on Matchday 4 was rescheduled from 13 March to 17 April to allow Iraqi teams to play at home after their ban was lifted by the FIFA Council in March 2018.[8]
  9. ^ a b The matches between Manama and Al-Jaish on Matchdays 1 and 5 were reversed from the original schedule.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Teams from Syria are not allowed to host their home matches in their country due to security concerns.
  11. ^ The Al-Zawraa v Manama match on Matchday 3 was rescheduled from 6 March to 16 April to allow Iraqi teams to play at home after their ban was lifted by the FIFA Council in March 2018.[8]
  12. ^ The Aizawl v Bengaluru match on Matchday 1 was rescheduled from 7 March to 5 April to allow Bengaluru to play in the 2017–18 Indian Super League finals.[9]
  13. ^ The FLC Thanh Hóa v Global Cebu match was brought forward from 13 February to 10 February.
  14. ^ The Tampines Rovers v Sông Lam Nghệ An match was brought forward from 14 February to 10 February.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "AFC Competitions Calendar 2018". AFC. 11 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b "2018 AFC Cup Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC.
  3. ^ "AFC Cup 2018 Official Group Stage Draw". YouTube. 6 December 2017.
  4. ^ "AFC Cup 2018 draw confirmed". AFC. 6 December 2017.
  5. ^ Go, Beatrice (8 January 2018). "PH football club Meralco Manila ceases operations". Rappler. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  6. ^ "AFC supports international football's return to Iraq". AFC. 16 November 2017.
  7. ^ "AFC President welcomes FIFA decision to lift Iraq ban". AFC. 17 March 2018.
  8. ^ a b "AFC Cup matches postponed". AFC. 5 March 2018.
  9. ^ "AFC Cup: Bengaluru FC's group stage tie against I-League champions Aizawl FC postponed". Firstpost. 5 March 2018.

External links edit