AFC Women’s Club Championship™ 2023 - Invitational Tournament

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amenina
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AFC Women’s Club Championship™ 2023 - Invitational Tournament

Post by amenina »

Asia’s best women’s teams poised for AFC Women’s Club Championship™ return

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_wom ... eturn.html

Kuala Lumpur: The stage will be set for the return of Asia’s premier women's football club competition when eight club champions from as many Member Associations (MAs) discover their battle lines at the official draw ceremony of the AFC Women’s Club Championship™ 2023 - Invitational Tournament on Thursday.

Taking place from November 6 to 12, the tournament will give way to the AFC Women’s Champions League from the 2024/25 season.

The eight participants, three more than the previous edition, will be divided into two groups of four teams who will play in centralised venues in Uzbekistan and Thailand.

The seeding is based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking of their respective MAs, and following the Nadeshiko’s commendable performance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, WE League champions Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies of Japan will be the top seed, securing a spot in Pot 1.

With Australia’s Semi-final finish at the FIFA Women’s World Cup earning them the second seed, A-League Women champions Sydney FC, will join the Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies in Pot 1.

Meanwhile, Pot 2 will host third seeds and defending champions of Korea Republic’s WK League, the Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC, as well as five-time Chinese Taipei women’s league winners Hualien Women’s Football Team, who are seeded fourth in the competition.

Pot 3, on the other hand, will host the fifth and sixth seeded teams, namely Thailand’s Bangkok FC, who clinched their maiden Thai Women’s League title in 2023, and defending champions of the Uzbekistan Women's League, FC Nasaf, earlier known as Sevinch Qarshi.

Finally, Pot 4 will feature the current national champions from India, Sree Gokulam Kerala Football Club, and runners-up of the AFC Women’s Club Championship 2022 (West) and Kowsar Women Football League winners, Bam Khatoon from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

A one-round league format will see the four teams play against each other in the two groups, following which the group winners clash in the grand finale to determine the best women's club side in Asia.

Pots
Pot 1 (teams ranked 1-2): Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies, Sydney FC
Pot 2 (3-4): Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC, Hualien Women’s Football Team
Pot 3 (5-6): Bangkok FC, FC Nasaf
Pot 4 (7-8): Sree Gokulam Kerala Football Club, Bam Khatoon
amenina
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Post by amenina »

@Jackson Harrison so there will be a final between the two group winners, but they did not say when and where.
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Post by Jackson Harrison »

amenina wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2023 16:34 @Jackson Harrison so there will be a final between the two group winners, but they did not say when and where.
Maybe 2 legs at the end one in each group venue?
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Post by amenina »

Jackson Harrison wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2023 16:48
amenina wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2023 16:34 @Jackson Harrison so there will be a final between the two group winners, but they did not say when and where.
Maybe 2 legs at the end one in each group venue?
Don't know. Last year it was going to be a single match at the venue of the AFC Cup final prior to the match, but it was never played.

And what they say in the regulations is also very vague.

9. Final and/or Knockout Stage
9.1. Subject to Article 7, the AFC may decide to introduce a Final and/or Knockout Stage for the Participating Clubs. The relevant provisions for the Final and/or Knockout Stage shall be communicated by the AFC via a circular to the respective Participating Clubs and Member Associations.
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Post by Jackson Harrison »

amenina wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2023 21:27
Jackson Harrison wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2023 16:48
amenina wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2023 16:34 @Jackson Harrison so there will be a final between the two group winners, but they did not say when and where.
Maybe 2 legs at the end one in each group venue?
Don't know. Last year it was going to be a single match at the venue of the AFC Cup final prior to the match, but it was never played.

And what they say in the regulations is also very vague.

9. Final and/or Knockout Stage
9.1. Subject to Article 7, the AFC may decide to introduce a Final and/or Knockout Stage for the Participating Clubs. The relevant provisions for the Final and/or Knockout Stage shall be communicated by the AFC via a circular to the respective Participating Clubs and Member Associations.
Yeah they never update it with exact format. The final didn't happen as one team pulled out as they didn't want to travel to Oman IIRC!
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Post by Shing »

Chinese club not invited or withdrawn?
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Post by Jackson Harrison »

Shing wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 10:57 Chinese club not invited or withdrawn?
The latter.
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Post by amenina »

Shing wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 10:57 Chinese club not invited or withdrawn?
Withdrawn and replaced by Indian club. See here in Japanese: https://weleague.jp/news/1155/
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Post by amenina »

Draw sets stage for thrilling action

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_wom ... ction.html

Kuala Lumpur: Top-seeded Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies of Japan will start their challenge for the AFC Women’s Club Championship™ 2023 - Invitational Tournament title in Group A following the official draw in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.

Second seeds Sydney FC, the Australian champions, will headline Group B for the fourth edition of the tournament.

Urawa, seeded top based on Japan's latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking, will have Chinese Taipei's Hualien Women’s Football Team, host club Bangkok FC of Thailand and India’s Sree Gokulam Kerala Football Club for company in the record-setting eight-team tournament.

Sydney FC's will face Korea Republic’s Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC, host club FC Nasaf of Uzbekistan and Islamic Republic of Iran’s Bam Khatoon.

A one-round league format will see the four teams play against each other in the two groups, following which the group winners clash in the grand finale to determine the best women's club side in Asia.

Taking place from November 6 to 12, the tournament will give way to the AFC Women’s Champions League from the 2024/25 season.

DRAW RESULT
Group A: Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (JPN), Hualien Women’s Football Team (TPE), Bangkok FC (THA), Sree Gokulam Kerala Football Club (IND)
Group B: Sydney FC (AUS), Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC (KOR), FC Nasaf (UZB), Bam Khatoon (IRN)

Draw video: https://m.youtube.com/live/A46VHaVrxkg? ... 9PVuF2GiQ8

Schedule: https://assets.the-afc.com/2023_AFC_Wom ... hedule.pdf

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Post by amenina »

Excitement builds ahead of AFC Women’s Club Championship™ 2023 -Invitational Tournament

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_wom ... ament.html

Kuala Lumpur: The stage is set for the pinnacle of women's club football as eight champions from as many Member Associations prepare to vie for continental supremacy in the AFC Women's Club Championship™ 2023 - Invitational Tournament, which kicks off for one last time on Monday.

With a record number of teams participating in the competition, the 2023 edition will pave the way for the start of a new chapter in the Confederation’s efforts in enhancing the women’s game as it ushers the commencement of the AFC Women’s Champions League from the 2024/25 season.

Taking place between November 6 and 12, the contest will feature two groups of four playing in centralised venues in Thailand and Uzbekistan simultaneously. Five teams are making their debuts: Bangkok FC, Hualien Women's Football Team, FC Nasaf, Sydney FC, and Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies.

With the Chonburi Stadium serving as the venue for all Group A matches, the competition gets underway with top seeds Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies, defending champions of Japan’s WE league, taking on reigning Indian Women’s League title-holders Sree Gokulam Kerala FC at 4:30pm on November 6.

The action continues in the evening at 8:30pm when five-time Chinese Taipei league winners Hualien Women's Football Team lock horns with Thai Women’s League champions Bangkok FC, who will be counting on home support.

A face-off against Hualien Women's Football Team awaits Sree Gokulam Kerala FC on November 9 at 4:30pm, while Bangkok FC have the challenge of battling Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies at 8:30pm.

Matches in Group A will conclude on November 12 when East Asian heavyweights Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies and Hualien Women's Football Team cross swords at 4:30pm, while Sree Gokulam Kerala FC will go head-to-head with Bangkok FC at 8:30pm.

Over in Uzbekistan’s capital city Tashkent, Group B will be contested by Sydney FC, Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC, FC Nasaf, and Bam Khatoon.

The group opener will see a Sydney FC side that includes the likes of Cortnee Vine, who scored the winning penalty for Australia in the shootout against France in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Quarter-finals, take on Bam Khatoon of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who finished as runners-up of the West region in the 2022 edition. The clash will take place at 3pm at the JAR Stadium on November 6.

Later in the day, a duel between home side FC Nasaf and Korea Republic’s Hyundai Steel Red Angels will commence at the historic Pakhtakor Stadium at 6pm.

The action will resume on November 9 with Bam Khatoon squaring off against Hyundai Steel Red Angels at the JAR Stadium at 3pm whereas at the Pakhtakor Stadium, FC Nasaf will settle scores against A-League Women champions Sydney FC at 6pm.

The final matchday in Group B takes place on Sunday, November 12, with Sydney FC battling Hyundai Steel Red Angels at 3pm at the JAR Stadium while the last showdown will witness an exciting duel between FC Nasaf and Bam Khatoon FC at the Pakhtakor Stadium at 6pm.

Following the completion of the Group Stage, the two respective group winners will settle scores in one final meeting, which will determine the best women's club side in Asia.

*All times indicated are in respective local times
amenina
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Post by amenina »

Know Your Teams

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_wom ... 023_2.html

Kuala Lumpur: Eight teams will battle it out in the AFC Women's Club Championship 2023 - the final edition of the tournament before it makes way for the AFC Women's Champions League™ starting from the 2024/25 season.

To be played in Thailand (Group A) and Uzbekistan (Group B), it promises to be an exciting affair. Ahead of Monday's kick-off, the-AFC.com invites you to learn more about the eight teams.

Group A

URAWA RED DIAMONDS LADIES (JPN)
Head Coach: Naoki Kusunose
Domestic titles: 5 - 2004, 2009, 2014, 2020, 2022/23 (WE League)
Appearance: Debutants

The club has won the top division championship titles five times - 2004, 2009, 2014, 2020 and 2022/23 - and secured their latest WE League title with 17 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses.

Four Urawa Red Ladies first-teamers were selected to represent Japan at the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 including, Hikaru Naomoto who scored for the Nadeshiko against Costa Rica.

HUALIEN WOMEN'S FOOTBALL TEAM (TPE)
Head Coach: Ju Wen-bin
Domestic titles: 5 - 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2022 (Mulan League)
Appearance: Debutants

Five-time winners of the Mulan Football League - 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2022, the club ended their 2022 campaign as champions without a single defeat, registering 10 wins and 5 draws.

Chu Fang-yi, Chen Ying-hui and Zhuo Li-ping are three players in Hualien’s squad who will come with the experience of having faced Australia, Philippines and Islamic Republic of Iran in the recent AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament - Asian Qualifiers Round 2.

BANGKOK FC (THA)
Head Coach: Panupun Kumvongdee
Domestic titles: 1 - 2023 (Thai Women's League)
Appearance: Debutants

The club was founded in 2008 and won their first Thai Women's League 1-2023 title with a total of 51 points from 18 matches, winning 17 of those matches to create a magnificent history for the club, having only finished fourth in 2022 and a whopping 22 points behind BGC Asian Scholars.

SREE GOKULAM KERALA FC (IND)
Head Coach: Anthony Andrews
Domestic titles: 3 - 2020, 2022, 2023 (Indian Women's League)
Appearance: 1 (2021) - Third place

The club was founded in 2018. Indian Women's League champions in 19/20, 21/22 and 22/23, Gokulam sealed their latest title with a smashing 5-0 win over Odisha FC.

Gokulam also competed in the 2021 AFC Women's Club Championship, finishing third behind Amman Club of Jordan and Sharhdari Sirjan of IR Iran.

Group B

SYDNEY FOOTBALL CLUB (AUS)
Head Coach: Ante Juric
Domestic titles: 5 - 2009, 2010/11, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23 (A-League Women)
Appearance: Debutants

Founded in 2008, they’ve been participating in the W-League/A-League Women since its inception.

One of the most successful teams in the A-League, having won the A-League titles five times including last season. Matildas’ star Cortnee Vine, who shot to prominence during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, is the obvious one to watch out for the Sky Blues.

HYUNDAI STEEL RED ANGELS WOMEN'S FC (KOR)
Head Coach: Kim Eun-Sook
Domestic titles: 10 - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 (WK League)
Appearance: 1 (2019) - Third place

The club was founded in 1993 and is Korea Republic’s first ever professional women’s football team. They are also the most successful with 10 consecutive WK League titles won from 2013 to 2022.

In 2019, Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels participated in the first edition of the AFC Women's Club Championship, securing a third-place finish.

Eight Red Angels FC players represented Korea Republic at the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 and they are bolstered by three import players in Tia N’rehy (Ivory Coast), Tereza Obunyu (Kenya) and Yoko Tanaka (Japan).

FC NASAF (UZB)
Head Coach: Vladislav Khan
Domestic titles:13 - 2006 to 2016, 2019, 2022 (Uzbekistan Women’s League)
Appearance: Debutants

Founded in 2003 as Sevinch, they were formally integrated into FC Nasaf in 2022.

Domestically they are the giants in the league having won 13 titles between 2006 and 2022.

As many as seven players helped Uzbekistan reach Round 3 of the AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament with Karachik Lyudmila captaining the national team to success.

BAM KHATOON FC (IRN)
Head Coach: Marziyeh Jafari
Domestic titles: 9 - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 (Kowsar Women Football League)
Appearance: 1

The club was founded in 1980 and is the most successful, having won nine championships.

Bam Khatoon FC were part of last year’s AFC Women’s Club Championship but lost 2-1 on aggregate to Uzbekistan side Sogdiana Jizzah to finish as runners-up of the West zone.

Inspirational attacking midfielder Zahra Ghanbari, who is also the national team captain, is expected to be the fulcrum of the side.
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Post by amenina »

Monday's Fixtures

Group A

Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (JPN) v Sree Gokulam Kerala FC (IND)
Venue: Chonburi Stadium (Chonburi)
Kick-off: 16:30 (UTC+7)

Hualien Women's Football Team (TPE) v Bangkok FC (THA)
Venue: Chonburi Stadium (Chonburi)
Kick-off: 20:30 (UTC+7)

Group B

Sydney Football Club (AUS) v Bam Khatoon FC (IRN)
Venue: JAR Stadium (Tashkent)
Kick-off: 15:00 (UTC+5)

Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC (KOR) v FC Nasaf (UZB)
Venue: Pakhtakor Stadium (Tashkent)
Kick-off: 18:00 (UTC+5)

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amenina
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Post by amenina »

Matchday 1 results

Group A: Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (JPN) 8-0 Sree Gokulam Kerala FC (IND)

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_wom ... ind_2.html

Group A: Hualien Women’s Football Team (TPE) 0-2 Bangkok FC (THA)

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_wom ... tha_2.html

Group B: Sydney Football Club (AUS) 3-0 Bam Khatoon FC (IRN)

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_wom ... _irn_.html

Group B: Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC (KOR) 2-0 FC Nasaf (UZB)

https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_wom ... uzb_2.html
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Post by amenina »

Fixtures of Day 2 (Thursday)

Group A (Chonburi)

Sree Gokulam Kerala FC (IND) v Hualien Women’s Football Team (TPE)
Kick-off: 16:30 (UTC+7)

Bangkok FC (THA) v Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (JPN)
Kick-off: 20:30 (UTC+7)

Group B (Tashkent)

Bam Khatoon FC (IRN) v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC (KOR)
Kick-off: 15:00 (UTC+5)

FC Nasaf (UZB) v Sydney Football Club (AUS)
Kick-off: 18:00 (UTC+5)

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