2021 AFC Cup knockout stage

The 2021 AFC Cup knockout stage was played from 25 August to 5 November 2021.[1] A total of 8 teams competed in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2021 AFC Cup.[2] Teams from ASEAN Zone did not compete in the knockout stage, due to the cancellation of group stage matches in ASEAN Zone.[3]

Qualified teams

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The following teams advanced from the group stage:

  • The winners of each of the three groups and the best runners-up in the West Asia Zone (Groups A–C) advanced to the Zonal semi-finals.
  • The winners of each group in the South Asia Zone (Group D), and the East Asia Zone (Group J) advanced to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.
  • The winners of each group in the Central Asia Zone (Groups E–F) advanced to the Zonal finals.
Key to colours
Teams which enter the Inter-zone play-off finals
Teams which enter the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals
Teams which enter the Zonal finals
Teams which enter the Zonal semi-finals
Zone Group Winners Best runners-up
West Asia Zone A   Al-Ahed   Al-Salt
(Group B)
B   Al-Muharraq
C   Al-Kuwait
South Asia Zone D   ATK Mohun Bagan
Central Asia Zone E   Ahal
F   Nasaf
East Asia Zone J   Lee Man

Format

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In the knockout stage, the eight teams played a single-elimination tournament. Each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winners if necessary (Regulations Article 9.3 and 10.1).

Schedule

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The schedule of each round is as follows (W: West Asia Zone; C: Central Asia Zone).[1] Matches in the West Asia Zone will be played on Mondays and Tuesdays, while matches in the Central Zone and the Inter-zone play-offs will be played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Round Date
Zonal semi-finals 20–21 September 2021 (W)
Zonal finals 25 August 2021 (C), 20 October 2021 (W)
Inter-zone play-off semi-finals 21–22 September 2021
Inter-zone play-off final 20 October 2021
Final 5 November 2021

Bracket

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The bracket of the knockout stage was determined as follows:

Round Matchups
Zonal semi-finals (Matchups and order of legs determined by identity of best runners-up: In West Asia Zone, the first team listed host first leg, and the second team listed host second leg. In ASEAN Zone, the first team listed host the match)
Zonal finals (Order of legs decided by draw)
Inter-zone play-off semi-finals (Matchups and order of legs decided by draw, involving winners of Group D, Group J, CF, and AF)
Inter-zone play-off finals (Winners of IZSF1 host first leg, Winners of IZSF2 host second leg)
  • IZF: Winners of IZSF1 vs. Winners of IZSF2
Final (Winners of WF host the match, as alternated from previous season's final)
  • Winners of WF vs. Winners of IZF


Zonal semi-finals

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Summary

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The West Asia Zonal semi-finals were played over one leg, with the home team determined by the draw mechanism based on which group runners-up qualify. A group winner hosted the match against a group runner-up. If two group winners played each other, one of the group winner (whose group runner-up qualify) hosted the match.[2]

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Asia Zone
Al-Muharraq   3–0   Al-Ahed
Al-Kuwait   2–0   Al-Salt
Team 1  Score  Team 2
ASEAN Zone
10–11 Aug
10–11 Aug

West Asia Zone

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Al-Muharraq  3–0  Al-Ahed
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 6,500
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)

Al-Kuwait  2–0  Al-Salt
Live Report
Stats Report

Zonal finals

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Summary

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The West Asia and Central Asia Zonal final were played over one leg, with the home team decided by draw. The winners of the West Asia Zonal final advanced to the final, while the winners of the Central Asia Zonal final advanced to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
West Asia Zone
Al-Muharraq   2–0   Al-Kuwait
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Central Asia Zone
Nasaf   3–2   Ahal
Team 1  Score  Team 2
ASEAN Zone
25 Aug

West Asia Zone

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Al-Muharraq  2–0  Al-Kuwait
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 8,250
Referee: Mohammed Al-Hoish (Saudi Arabia)

Central Asia Zone

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Nasaf  3−2  Ahal
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 54
Referee: Mohammed Al-Hoish (Saudi Arabia)

Inter-zone play-off semi-finals

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Summary

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After matches in ASEAN Zone was cancelled, there were only three teams which qualified to the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals, i.e., the winners of the South Asia Zone (Group D), the winners of the East Asia Zone (Group J), and the winners of the Central Zonal final. The three Zonal champions were drawn into two pairings where one club got a bye to the Inter-zone play-off final, which happened for Lee Man. The matchups and order of legs decided by draw, without any seeding with the winner of Central Zonal Final hosting the match and the winner of South Asia Zone being the away team.[4]

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Nasaf   6–0   ATK Mohun Bagan

Matches

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Nasaf  6–0  ATK Mohun Bagan
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 5,865
Referee: Hanna Hattab (Syria)

Inter-zone play-off final

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Summary

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In the Inter-zone play-off final, the two teams which advanced from the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals played each other, with the order of legs determined by the Inter-zone play-off semi-final draw. The winners of the Inter-zone play-off final advanced to the final.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Nasaf   3–2 (a.e.t.)   Lee Man

Matches

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Nasaf  3–2 (a.e.t.)  Lee Man
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 9,890

Final

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The final was played over one leg, between the winners of the West Asia Zonal final and the winners of the Inter-zone play-off final. The home team was determined on a rotation basis, with the match hosted by the winners of the West Asia Zonal final, as in the case of odd-numbered years (Regulations 9.1.2).[2]

Al-Muharraq  3–0  Nasaf
Live Report
Stats Report
Attendance: 9,060
Referee: Ko Hyung-jin (South Korea)

References

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  1. ^ a b "AFC Competitions Calendar 2021". Asian Football Confederation. 21 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "AFC Cup 2021 Competition Regulations" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation – via YouTube.
  3. ^ "AFC Cup 2021 ASEAN Zone matches cancelled". Asian Football Confederation. 7 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Clubs set to discover road to AFC Cup 2021 Final". AFC. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
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