2021 AFC Champions League knockout stage

The 2021 AFC Champions League knockout stage was played from 13 September to 23 November 2021.[1] A total of 16 teams competed in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2021 AFC Champions League.[2]

Qualified teams edit

The group winners and three best runners-up in the group stage from each region advanced to the round of 16, with both West Region (Groups A–E) and East Region (Groups F–J) having eight qualified teams.

Region Group Winners Runners-up
(best three from each region)
West Region A   Istiklol   Al-Hilal
B   Sharjah   Tractor
C   Esteghlal
D   Al-Nassr
E   Persepolis   Al-Wahda
East Region F   Ulsan Hyundai   BG Pathum United
G   Nagoya Grampus   Pohang Steelers
H   Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
I   Kawasaki Frontale   Daegu FC
J   Cerezo Osaka


Combination table edit

If two group winners played each other, the group winner marked with * hosted the match.[3]

Format edit

In the knockout stage, the 16 teams played a single-elimination tournament, with the teams split into the two regions until the final. All ties were played as a single-leg match (Regulations Article 9.1).[4] Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winners if necessary (Regulations Article 9.3 and 10.1).[2]

Schedule edit

The schedule of each round was as follows.[1]

Round Date
Round of 16 13–15 September 2021
Quarter-finals 16–17 October 2021
Semi-finals 19–20 October 2021
Final 23 November 2021

Bracket edit

The bracket of the knockout stage was determined as follows:

Round Format
Round of 16

Matchups within East region and West region decided by a series of permutations,
based upon the three best runner-ups who qualified

Quarter-finals Matchups decided by a draw
  • QF West 1
  • QF West 2
  • QF East 1
  • QF East 2
Semi-finals
  • SF West: Winners of QF West 1 vs. Winners of QF West 2
  • SF East: Winners of QF East 1 vs. Winners of QF East 2
Final
  • Winners of SF West vs. Winners of SF East


 
Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
14 September – Sharjah
 
 
  Sharjah1 (4)
 
16 October – Riyadh
 
  Al Wahda (p)1 (5)
 
  Al Wahda1
 
14 September – Doha, Qatar
 
  Al-Nassr5
 
  Al Nassr1
 
19 October – Riyadh
 
  Tractor0
 
  Al-Nassr1
 
14 September – Dushanbe
 
  Al-Hilal2
 
  Istiklol0
 
16 October – Riyadh
 
  Persepolis1
 
  Persepolis0
 
13 September – Dubai, UAE
 
  Al-Hilal3
 
  Esteghlal0
 
23 November – Riyadh
 
  Al-Hilal2
 
  Al-Hilal2
 
15 September – Jeonju
 
  Pohang Steelers0
 
  Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (p)1 (4)
 
17 October – Jeonju
 
  BG Pathum United1 (2)
 
  Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2
 
14 September – Ulsan
 
  Ulsan Hyundai (a.e.t.)3
 
  Ulsan Hyundai (p)0 (3)
 
20 October – Jeonju
 
  Kawasaki Frontale0 (2)
 
  Ulsan Hyundai1 (4)
 
15 September – Osaka
 
  Pohang Steelers (p)1 (5)
 
  Cerezo Osaka0
 
17 October – Jeonju
 
  Pohang Steelers1
 
  Pohang Steelers3
 
14 September – Toyota
 
  Nagoya Grampus0
 
  Nagoya Grampus4
 
 
  Daegu FC2
 

Round of 16 edit

Summary edit

The round of 16 was played over one leg, with the matchups determined by the combination tables based on which group runners-up qualified.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Istiklol   0–1   Persepolis
Sharjah   1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–5 p)
  Al-Wahda
Esteghlal   0–2   Al-Hilal
Al-Nassr   1–0   Tractor
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Ulsan Hyundai   0–0 (a.e.t.)
(3–2 p)
  Kawasaki Frontale
Nagoya Grampus   4–2   Daegu FC
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors   1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)
  BG Pathum United
Cerezo Osaka   0–1   Pohang Steelers

West Region edit

Istiklol  0–1  Persepolis
Live Report
Stats Report
Torabi   90'
Attendance: 17,200

Sharjah  1–1 (a.e.t.)  Al-Wahda
Bernard   58' Live Report
Stats Report
Kharbin   56'
Penalties
4–5
Attendance: 2,100

Esteghlal  0–2  Al-Hilal
Live Report
Stats Report

Al-Nassr  1–0  Tractor
Aboubakar   11' Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Kim Dae-yong (South Korea)

East Region edit


Nagoya Grampus  4–2  Daegu FC
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 5,442

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors  1–1 (a.e.t.)  BG Pathum United
Gustavo   45+2' Live Report
Stats Report
Teerasil   76'
Penalties
4–2
Attendance: 0
Referee: Mooud Bonyadifard (Iran)

Cerezo Osaka  0–1  Pohang Steelers
Live Report
Stats Report
Lee Seung-mo   25'

Quarter-finals edit

Summary edit

The quarter-finals were played over one leg, with the matchups and home team decided by draw held on 17 September at 15:00 (UTC+8) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al Wahda   1–5   Al-Nassr
Persepolis   0–3   Al-Hilal
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors   2–3 (a.e.t.)   Ulsan Hyundai
Pohang Steelers   3–0   Nagoya Grampus


West Region edit

Al Wahda  1–5  Al-Nassr
Matar   90+3' Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 20,477
Referee: Ma Ning (China)

Persepolis  0–3  Al-Hilal
Live Report
Stats Report

East Region edit


Pohang Steelers  3–0  Nagoya Grampus
Live Report
Stats Report

Semi-finals edit

Summary edit

The semi-finals were played over one leg.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Region
Al-Nassr   1–2   Al-Hilal
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Region
Ulsan Hyundai   1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–5 p)
  Pohang Steelers

West Region edit

Al-Nassr  1–2  Al-Hilal
Talisca   50' Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 23,985

East Region edit

Final edit

The final was played over a single leg on 23 November. The host was determined on a rotational basis, with the match hosted by team from the West Region in odd-numbered years (Regulations 9.1.2).[2]

Notes edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "AFC Competitions Calendar 2021". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 27 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "2021 AFC Champions League Competition Regulations" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.
  3. ^ "ACL 2021 Draw Mechanism". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 26 January 2021 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ "Latest update on the AFC Club Competitions in 2021 and 2022". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.

External links edit