The 2008 AFC Champions League was the 27th AFC Champions League, the top-level Asian club football tournament, and the 6th under the current AFC Champions League title. It was the last AFC Champions League before the competition expanded to 32 teams.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 12 March - 12 November 2008 |
| Teams | 29 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Gamba Osaka (1st title) |
| Runners-up |  Adelaide United |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 98 |
| Goals scored | 275 (2.81 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Nantawat Thansopa(9 goals) |
| Best player(s) | Yasuhito Endō |
Format
- Group stage
A total of 28 clubs were divided into seven groups of four, based on region, i.e. East Asian and Southeast Asian clubs were drawn in groups E to G, while the rest were grouped in groups A to D. Each club played double round-robin (home and away) against the other three teams in their group, a total of 6 matches each. Clubs received three points for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a loss. The clubs were ranked according to points and tie breakers were in the following order:
- Points earned between the clubs in question
- Goal difference between the clubs in question
- Goal difference within the group
- Goals for within the group
The seven group winners and the defending champion advanced to the quarter-finals.
- Knockout stage
All eight clubs were randomly paired together, with the restriction that clubs from the same country could not face each other in the quarter-finals. The games were played over two legs, home and away; the team with the higher aggregate score was declared the match winner. If the aggregate score could not produce a winner, "away goals rule" was used. If the two teams were still tied, extra time was played, at the end of which the "away goals rule" was again applied if the scores were tied. If still tied, the game would go to penalties.
Schedule
- Group stage draw - 12 December 2007
- Group round: 12–19 March, 9–23 April, 7–21 May
- Knockout stage draw - 24 May 2008
- Quarter-finals: 17–24 September
- Semi-finals: 8–22 October
- Final: 5 and 12 November
Participating clubs
Indonesia were initially allocated two entries as per previous years. However, on 12 December 2007, the AFC awarded one to Thailand and the other one to Vietnam because the Indonesian domestic league and cup tournament wouldn't be completed in time for the start of the tournament. Both Thailand and Vietnam therefore effectively recovered the entries they had lost the previous year.
- Notes
Group stage
Group A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bunyodkor | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 13 |
 Al-Ittihad | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 9 |
 Sepahan | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 7 |
 Al-Ittihad | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 6 |
| Sepahan | 0–2 | Al-Ittihad |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Jésus Gomez  21'Al Agha 87' |
| Al-Ittihad | 1–0 | Bunyodkor |
|---|---|---|
| Magno Alves 80' | Report |
| Al-Ittihad | 0–2 | Bunyodkor |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Hasanov 50' Kapadze 65' |
| Sepahan | 2–1 | Al-Ittihad |
|---|---|---|
| Seyed Salehi 59' Aghily 71' | Report | Al-Meshal 89' |
| Bunyodkor | 1–0 | Al-Ittihad |
|---|---|---|
| Kapadze 29' | Report |
| Al-Ittihad | 0–1 | Sepahan |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Mohammed 70' |
| Al-Ittihad | 2–1 | Sepahan |
|---|---|---|
| Laurens 61' Jésus Gomez 64' | Report | Aghily 48' |
| Bunyodkor | 2–0 | Al-Ittihad |
|---|---|---|
| Soliev 10' Djeparov 38' | Report |
| Sepahan | 1–1 | Bunyodkor |
|---|---|---|
| Ali Mohammadi 2' | Report | Gochguliev 72' |
| Al-Ittihad | 3–0 | Al-Ittihad |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Nemri 30', 50' Hazazi 42' | Report |
Group B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saipa | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 12 |
 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 8 |
 Al Wasl | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 7 |
 Al Kuwait | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 5 |
| Al Wasl | 0–1 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Alwan 32' |
| Al Kuwait | 1–1 | Saipa |
|---|---|---|
| Ajab 44' | Report | Zaynadpour 66' |
| Saipa | 2–0 | Al Wasl |
|---|---|---|
| Traoré 45' Ansarifard 57' | Report |
| Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya | 0–1 | Saipa |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Vaziri 45+1' |
| Al Wasl | 1–1 | Saipa |
|---|---|---|
| André Dias 90+2' | Report | Traoré 21' |
| Al Kuwait | 1–2 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
|---|---|---|
| Ajab 22' | Report | Kadhim 17' Abdul-Mohsen 48' |
Group C
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Karamah | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 11 |
| Al-Wahda | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 9 |
 Al-Sadd | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 6 |
| Al-Ahli | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 4 |
| Al-Ahli | 1–1 | Al-Karamah |
|---|---|---|
| Al Thagafi 15' | Report | Al Hamwi 44' |
| Al-Sadd | 0–2 | Al-Karamah |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Al Hamwi 69' Jenyat 73' |
| Al-Karamah | 1–0 | Al-Sadd |
|---|---|---|
| Jenyat 78' | Report |
| Al-Wahda | 1–0 | Al-Karamah |
|---|---|---|
| Al Shehhi 90' | Report |
Group D
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Qadisiya | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 11 |
| Pakhtakor | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 11 |
| Erbil | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | −3 | 8 |
| Al-Gharafa | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 2 |
| Pakhtakor | 0–1 | Al Qadisiya |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Ajab 90+1' |
| Erbil | 1–1 | Al-Gharafa |
|---|---|---|
| Muslim Mubarak 61' | Report | Araújo 13' |
| Al Qadisiya | 1–1 | Erbil |
|---|---|---|
| Al Salama 81' | Alwan 28' (pen.) |
| Al-Gharafa | 2–2 | Pakhtakor |
|---|---|---|
| Mahmoud 57' Araújo 65' | Report | Aliqulov 68' F. Tadjiyev 78' |
| Al Qadisiya | 1–0 | Al-Gharafa |
|---|---|---|
| Ajab 62' | Report |
| Al-Gharafa | 0–1 | Al Qadisiya |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Al-Mutwa 89' |
| Erbil | 1–5 | Pakhtakor |
|---|---|---|
| Sabah 19' | Report | Siamand 38' (o.g.) Kuziboyev 69'Marković 73'Geynrikh 81'Kholmatov 90+3' |
| Al Qadisiya | 2–2 | Pakhtakor |
|---|---|---|
| Ajab 20' Al Salama 45' (pen.) | Report | Ahmedov 36' Z. Tadjiyev 81' |
| Al-Gharafa | 0–1 | Erbil |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Alwan 29' |
| Pakhtakor | 2–0 | Al-Gharafa |
|---|---|---|
| Z. Tadjiyev 19' Ahmedov 88' (pen.) | Report |
| Erbil | 4–2 | Al Qadisiya |
|---|---|---|
| Salah 52', 70', 79' Alwan 89' | Report | Al Shammari 23' Al-Kandri 34' |
Group E
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide United | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 14 |
 Changchun Yatai | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 12 |
 Pohang Steelers | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 5 |
 Bình Dương | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 17 | −13 | 1 |
| Changchun Yatai | 2–1 | Bình Dương |
|---|---|---|
| Du Zhenyu 4' Cui Wei 70' | Report | Nguyễn Anh Đức 53' |
| Bình Dương | 1–4 | Pohang Steelers |
|---|---|---|
| Robson 11' (pen.) | Report | Denilson 49' (pen.), 58' (pen.) Kim Jae-sung 56'Choi Hyo-jin 64' |
| Bình Dương | 1–2 | Adelaide United |
|---|---|---|
| Philani 85' | Report | Diego 10' Alagich 78' |
| Adelaide United | 4–1 | Bình Dương |
|---|---|---|
| Pantelis 56' Dodd 58', 62'Diego 77' | Report | Phạm Minh Đức 65' |
| Pohang Steelers | 2–2 | Changchun Yatai |
|---|---|---|
| Hwang Jae-won 64' Hwang Jin-sung 90' | Report | Wang Dong 35' Du Zhenyu 70' |
| Bình Dương | 0–5 | Changchun Yatai |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Wang Bo 2', 37' Dah Zadi 13'Yan Feng 78'Caballero 90' (pen.) |
Group F
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kashima Antlers | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 3 | +25 | 15 |
| Beijing Guoan | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 12 |
| Krung Thai Bank | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 27 | −7 | 7 |
| Nam Định | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 27 | −23 | 1 |
| Krung Thai Bank | 1–9 | Kashima Antlers |
|---|---|---|
| Kone 64' | Report | Tashiro 15', 50' Iwamasa 21'Nozawa 34', 90+2'Marquinhos 47', 69', 71'Sasaki 73' |
| Nam Dinh | 1–3 | Beijing Guoan |
|---|---|---|
| Lê Văn Duyệt 14' | Report | Yan Xiangchuang 57', 90+1' Du Wenhui 60' |
| Kashima Antlers | 6–0 | Nam Dinh |
|---|---|---|
| Motoyama 25', 48' Marquinhos 58', 67'Tashiro 73'Danilo 90+2' | Report |
| Beijing Guoan | 4–2 | Krung Thai Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Du Wenhui 39', 73' Martínez 51', 75' | Report | Thansopa 58' Pichitchotirat 63' |
| Krung Thai Bank | 9–1 | Nam Dinh |
|---|---|---|
| Kone 4', 44', 90+1', 90+2' Thansopa 8', 46', 59'Choeichiu 64'Wongsuparuk 70' | Report | Trần Đức Dương 64' |
| Nam Dinh | 2–2 | Krung Thai Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Hoàng Ngọc Linh 2', 47' | Report | Thansopa 21' Choeichiu 90' |
| Kashima Antlers | 8–1 | Krung Thai Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Iwamasa 19' Koroki 21'Tashiro 45'Nozawa 46', 66'Ogasawara 50'Danilo 74', 83' | Report | Pichitchotirat 90' |
| Krung Thai Bank | 5–3 | Beijing Guoan |
|---|---|---|
| Thansopa 10', 44', 49', 69' (pen.) Pichitchotirat 27' | Report | Tiago 67' (pen.), 70', 77' (pen.) |
| Nam Dinh | 0–4 | Kashima Antlers |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Tashiro 27' Koroki 47'Motoyama 75'Danilo 87' |
- Notes
- Note 2: Nam Định played their home matches at Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi as their own Thiên Trường Stadium did not meet AFC criteria.
Group G
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamba Osaka | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 8 | +6 | 14 |
| Melbourne Victory | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 7 |
| Chunnam Dragons | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 6 |
| Chonburi | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 5 |
| Melbourne Victory | 2–0 | Chunnam Dragons |
|---|---|---|
| Muscat 28' (pen.) Vargas 66' | Report |
| Gamba Osaka | 1–1 | Chonburi |
|---|---|---|
| Lucas 90+4' | Report | Sunthornpit 59' |
| Chunnam Dragons | 3–4 | Gamba Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Simões 4' Kim Tae-su 27', 60' (pen.) | Report | Futagawa 30' Bando 53', 75'Yasuda 58' |
| Chonburi | 3–1 | Melbourne Victory |
|---|---|---|
| Ney Fabiano 45' Baga 79', 90+5' | Report | Allsopp 57' |
| Chunnam Dragons | 1–0 | Chonburi |
|---|---|---|
| Simões 90' | Report |
| Melbourne Victory | 3–4 | Gamba Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Allsopp 4', 65' Vargas 41' | Report | Futagawa 31' Baré 38'Yamaguchi 68'Lucas 89' |
| Chonburi | 2–2 | Chunnam Dragons |
|---|---|---|
| On-Mo 56' Jinta 88' | Report | Jeong Jun-yeon 5' Kim Myung-woon 48' |
| Gamba Osaka | 2–0 | Melbourne Victory |
|---|---|---|
| Yamazaki 31', 57' | Report |
| Chonburi | 0–2 | Gamba Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Yamazaki 64' Lucas 76' |
| Melbourne Victory | 3–1 | Chonburi |
|---|---|---|
| Muscat 56' Thompson 65'Hernández 77' | Report | Ney Fabiano 55' |
| Gamba Osaka | 1–1 | Chunnam Dragons |
|---|---|---|
| Futagawa 75' | Report | Yoo Hong-youl 86' (pen.) |
- Notes
- Note 3: Chonburi played their home matches at Supachalasai Stadium, Bangkok as their own Chonburi Municipality Stadium did not meet AFC criteria.
Knock-out stage
Bracket
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Al-Karamah | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Gamba Osaka | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| Gamba Osaka | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Urawa Red Diamonds | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Al Qadisiya | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Urawa Red Diamonds (2007 Champion) | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| Gamba Osaka | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||
| Adelaide United | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Kashima Antlers | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Adelaide United | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Adelaide United | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Bunyodkor | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Saipa | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Bunyodkor | 2 | 5 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
Quarter-finals
The first leg matches were played on 17 September, and the second leg matches were played on 24 September 2008.
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Karamah | 1–4 | Gamba Osaka | 1–2 | 0–2 |
| Al Qadisiya | 3–4 | Urawa Red Diamonds (2007 Champion) | 3–2 | 0–2 |
| Kashima Antlers | 1–2 | Adelaide United | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Saipa | 3–7 | Bunyodkor | 2–2 | 1–5 |
Semi-finals
The first leg matches were played on 8 October, and the second leg matches were played on 22 October 2008.
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamba Osaka | 4–2 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Adelaide United | 3–1 | Bunyodkor | 3–0 | 0–1 |
Final
The first and second legs of the final were played on 5 and 12 November 2008, respectively.
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamba Osaka | 5–0 | Adelaide United | 3–0 | 2–0 |
Top scorers
The top scorers from the 2008 AFC Champions League are as follows:
