Quarter-Finalists For AFC Champions League 2023/24 Confirmed

Five former champions have successfully advanced to the AFC Champions League 2023/24 quarter-finals, highlighting an intense Round of 16 that concluded this Thursday. Among the victors, Al Ain FC, the inaugural winners of the tournament, clinched a hard-fought 2-1 victory in their second leg against Uzbekistan's FC Nasaf, following a goalless first leg. This win sets up a thrilling encounter with Al Nassr, who themselves secured a spot in the next round with a convincing 3-0 aggregate victory over Al Fayha.

Al Nassr's journey was bolstered by a 1-0 win in the first leg, with Otavio and Cristiano Ronaldo scoring in the second leg to keep their aspirations for their first AFC Champions League title alive. The quarter-finals will also see participation from Saudi Arabian teams Al Hilal SFC and Al Ittihad, both confirming their spots on Thursday. Al Ittihad, two-time champions, staged a comeback to win 2-1 against Navbahor, while Al Hilal overcame Sepahan FC 3-1 to move forward with a 6-2 aggregate win.

On the Eastern front, Shandong Taishan from China PR was the first team to secure a quarter-final berth with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Kawasaki Frontale, progressing with a narrow 6-5 aggregate. They are set to face Yokohama F. Marinos, who edged out Bangkok United with a late penalty goal by Anderson Lopes. The quarter-finals will also feature an all-Korea Republic match-up between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC and Ulsan Hyundai FC. Jeonbuk advanced with a 3-1 aggregate over Pohang Steelers, while Ulsan moved past Ventforet Kofu with an aggregate score of 5-1.

The anticipation for the quarter-finals is high, with matches scheduled between March 4th and 6th. This stage of the tournament promises exciting clashes as teams vie for the prestigious AFC Champions League title. Among these contenders are teams with rich histories in the competition and those seeking their maiden title, setting the stage for highly competitive and engaging football action.

With inputs from WAM