2009 AFC Champions League

Qualification

A total of 35 teams participated in the 2009 AFC Champions League.

AFC assessment ranking

† One of the A-League clubs, Wellington Phoenix, is based in New Zealand, an OFC member country, therefore not being eligible to compete in the ACL.

Allocation of entries

Below is the qualification scheme for the 2009 AFC Champions League:

Qualifying play-off: (5 teams)

• UAE United Arab Emirates, IDN Indonesia, SIN Singapore, THA Thailand, IND India each have 1 team qualify Group stage: (32 teams)
• 2 qualifying play-off entries
• 4 teams qualified: JPN Japan, CHN China, IRN Iran, KOR South Korea, KSA Saudi Arabia
• 3 teams qualified: UAE United Arab Emirates
• 2 teams qualified: AUS Australia, UZB Uzbekistan, QAT Qatar
• 1 team qualified: IDN Indonesia

Teams

In the following table, the number of appearances and last appearance count only those since the 2002–03 season (including qualifying rounds), when the competition was rebranded as the AFC Champions League. TH means title holders.

;Notes.

Schedule

;Notes

Qualifying play-off

Main article: 2009 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off

Preliminary round

Play-off round

Group stage

Main article: 2009 AFC Champions League group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 7 January 2009 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Each club played double round-robin (home and away) against fellow three group members, a total of 6 matches each. Each team had been numbered from 1 to 4, the numbers determine the order of the fixtures.

• Match Day 1: 1 vs 4, 3 vs 2
• Match Day 2: 2 vs 1, 4 vs 3
• Match Day 3: 1 vs 3, 4 vs 2
• Match Day 4: 3 vs 1, 2 vs 4
• Match Day 5: 4 vs 1, 2 vs 3
• Match Day 6: 1 vs 2, 3 vs 4

Clubs receive 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, 0 points for a loss. The clubs are ranked according to points and tie breakers are in following order:

1. Greater number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
2. Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned; (Away goals do not apply)
3. Greater number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned; (Away goals do not apply)
4. Goal difference in all the group matches;
5. Greater number of goals scored in all the group matches;
6. Kicks from the penalty mark if only two teams are involved and they are both on the field of play;
7. Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches; (1 point for each yellow card, 3 points for each red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for each direct red card, 4 points for each yellow card followed by a direct red card)
8. Drawing of lots.

Winners and runners-up of each group qualified for the next round.

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Group F

Group G

Group H

Knockout stage

Main article: 2009 AFC Champions League knockout stage

Bracket

Round of 16

The draw for the round of 16 of the 2009 AFC Champions League was held on 7 January 2009, along with the draw for the group stage. The West Asian matches were played on 26 and 27 May. The East Asian matches were played on 24 June.

Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-finals and the remaining knockout rounds took place at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 29 June 2009. The first leg matches were played on 23–24 September, with the second leg matches were played on 30 September.

Semi-finals

The first leg matches were played on 21 October, with the second leg matches were played on 28 October 2009.

Final

Main article: 2009 AFC Champions League Final

The 2009 AFC Champions League Final was played on 7 November at National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan.

Top scorers

Note: Goals scored in qualifying round not counted.

References

References

1. (7 November 2009). "Triple treat for Steelers". [[Asian Football Confederation]].
2. (7 January 2009). "2009 ACL draw – thrilling match-ups". AFC.