The 2017 AFC Champions League Final was the final of the 2017 AFC Champions League, the 36th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 15th under the current AFC Champions League title.
| Event | 2017 AFC Champions League | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| on aggregate | |||||||
| First leg | |||||||
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| Date | 18 November 2017 | ||||||
| Venue | King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Red Diamonds) | ||||||
| Referee | Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan) | ||||||
| Attendance | 59,136 | ||||||
| Weather | Fine and dry 22 °C (72 °F) | ||||||
| Second leg | |||||||
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| Date | 25 November 2017 | ||||||
| Venue | Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Rafael Silva (Urawa Red Diamonds) | ||||||
| Referee | Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan) | ||||||
| Attendance | 57,727 | ||||||
| Weather | Cold 10 °C (50 °F) | ||||||
The final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal and Japanese team Urawa Red Diamonds. This was the first AFC Champions League final involving a Japanese club since Gamba Osaka in 2008. The first leg was hosted by Al-Hilal at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh on 18 November 2017, while the second leg was hosted by Urawa Red Diamonds at the Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama on 25 November 2017.
After the first leg ended in a 1–1 draw,[1] Urawa Red Diamonds defeated Al-Hilal 1–0 in the second leg to win 2–1 on aggregate, and were crowned AFC Champions League champions for the second time.[2]
As Asian champions, Urawa Red Diamonds earned the right to represent the AFC at the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, entering at the second round.[3]
Teams edit
In the following table, finals until 2002 were in the Asian Club Championship era, since 2003 were in the AFC Champions League era.
| Team | Region | Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners) |
|---|---|---|
 Al-Hilal | West Region (Zone: WAFF) | 5 (1986[A], 1987[B], 1991, 2000, 2014) |
 Urawa Red Diamonds | East Region (Zone: EAFF) | 1 (2007) |
- Notes
Venues edit
 |
This was the fourth time that an Asian club final was played in the King Fahd International Stadium, with the previous finals being 1995, 2000, and 2014 (second leg).
This was the second time that an Asian club final was played in the Saitama Stadium 2002, with the previous final being 2007 (second leg).
Road to the final edit
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
| Al-Hilal | Round | Urawa Red Diamonds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Opponent | Result | Group stage | Opponent | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Persepolis | 1–1 (A) | Matchday 1 |  Western Sydney Wanderers | 4–0 (A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Al-Rayyan | 2–1 (H) | Matchday 2 |  FC Seoul | 5–2 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Al-Wahda | 2–2 (A) | Matchday 3 |  Shanghai SIPG | 2–3 (A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Al-Wahda | 1–0 (H) | Matchday 4 | Shanghai SIPG | 1–0 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Persepolis | 0–0 (H) | Matchday 5 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 6–1 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Al-Rayyan | 4–3 (A) | Matchday 6 | FC Seoul | 0–1 (A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Group D winners
Source: AFC | Final standings | Group F winners
Source: AFC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Knockout stage | Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Esteghlal Khuzestan | 4–2 | 2–1 (A) | 2–1 (H) | Round of 16 | Jeju United | 3–2 | 0–2 (A) | 3–0 (a.e.t.) (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Al-Ain | 3–0 | 0–0 (A) | 3–0 (H) | Quarter-finals | Kawasaki Frontale | 5–4 | 1–3 (A) | 4–1 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Persepolis | 6–2 | 4–0 (H) | 2–2 (A) | Semi-finals | Shanghai SIPG | 2–1 | 1–1 (A) | 1–0 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Format edit
The final was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, with the order of legs (first leg hosted by team from the West Region, second leg hosted by team from the East Region) reversed from the previous season's final.[4] The away goals rule, extra time (away goals do not apply in extra time) and penalty shoot-out would be used to decide the winner if necessary (Regulations, Section 3. 11.2 & 11.3).[3]
Matches edit
First leg edit
Urawa Red Diamonds took the lead in the seventh minute after Rafael Silva intercepted a clearance of Salman Al-Faraj and converted from close range.[5]Omar Kharbin scored for Al-Hilal in the 37th minute striking a close-range effort through the legs of Urawa Red Diamonds goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa.[6]
        Al-Hilal |      Urawa Red Diamonds |
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees: |
Second leg edit
Carlos Eduardo (Al-Hilal) tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during first leg and was ruled out from second leg.[7]Urawa Red Diamonds scored the only goal in the 88th minute when Rafael Silva scored from the right of the penalty area, shooting high to the net with his right foot.[8][9]
     Urawa Red Diamonds |  Al-Hilal |
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees: |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Khribin strike keeps Al Hilal in the chase as Urawa Reds take early advantage". AFC. 18 November 2017.
- ^ "Rafael strike steers Urawa Reds to 2017 AFC Champions League crown". AFC. 25 November 2017.
- ^ a b "2017 AFC Champions League Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-12-15. Retrieved 2017-12-13.
- ^ "AFC Champions League quarter-final ties confirmed". AFC. 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Rafael Da Silva goal helps Urawa Red Diamonds to draw with Al Hilal". ESPN. 18 November 2017.
- ^ "Urawa earn valuable away draw". FIFA. 18 November 2017. Archived from the original on November 18, 2017.
- ^ "Al Hilal blow as Carlos Eduardo out of final second leg". Fox Sports Asia. 20 November 2017. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
- ^ "Urawa clinch ticket to UAE". FIFA. 25 November 2017. Archived from the original on November 25, 2017.
- ^ "Rafael Silva strike seals Asian Champions League crown for Urawa". ESPN. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
External links edit
- AFC Champions League, the-AFC.com
- AFC Champions League 2017, stats.the-AFC.com