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CONTENTS
QUARTERLY
Issue No. 13
January-March 2016
Official quarterly publication of the
Asian Football Confederation
Introduce flamboyant
Europeans to your bold
New World friends
Make friends with some exceptional vintages in our
A380 Onboard Lounge^. From full-bodied classics
to fresh blends from the world’s top wine-producing
regions. Savour exclusive wines that take you places.
22 – AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
PREVIEW
We take an in-depth look at each of the
teams who have qualified for the group
stage of the 2016 AFC Champions League,
while also previewing the play-offs
28 – SUN WEN
China’s Sun Wen looks to
give back to the game in which the former
forward made her mark in a glittering
career as an icon of her nation.
32 – ANGE POSTECOGLOU
Coach Ange Postecoglou has overseen
an upswing in Australia’s fortunes,
and after winning the AFC Asian Cup
on home soil, the former Melbourne Victory
coach has even bigger goals in mind.
12 - In The News
56 - 2018 FIFA World Cup/2019 AFC
Asian Cup Qualifiers
58 - AFC Champions League
36 – JI SO-YUN
Chelsea’s Korea Republic midfielder Ji So-yun
eyes more success in the 2016 Olympic Games
qualifiers following a breakthrough 2015 which saw
her win two domestic titles in England and excel
at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.
Regular Sections
60 - AFC Cup
62 - AFC U-16 Women’s Championship
64 - AFC Women’s Futsal Championship
16
Interview: Ahmed Khalil
THE SKY’S THE LIMIT
40 – IN FOCUS: INDIA
India are on the verge of a new dawn
with a bright new generation and this
year’s AFC U-16 Championship and
2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup on the horizon.
46 – ZHENG ZHI
Guangzhou Evergrande’s evergreen captain
Zheng Zhi reflects on a second AFC Champions
League winners medal in three years and
what lies in store for the game in China.
50 – CLUB FOCUS:
JOHOR DARUL TA’ZIM
After winning an historic AFC Cup title
last year, Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim are
banking on continuing their whirlwind
revival and mixing it with Asia’s best.
67 - AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers
69 - AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers
71 - Women’s Olympic Games Qualifiers
73 - AFC Futsal Championship Qualifiers
74 - Inside AFC
78 - Great Grounds of Asia
Published on behalf of the Asian
Football Confederation by Lagardère
Sports
Asian Football Confederation
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@theafcdotcom
President & FIFA Vice President:
Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa
Vice Presidents:
Mr. Zhang Jilong
Saoud A. Aziz M A Al Mohannadi
Praful Patel
Winston Lee Boon Aun
Ali Kafashian Naeini
FIFA Executive Committee
Members:
HE Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al Ahmad
Al Sabah
HRH Prince Abdullah Ibni Sultan
Ahmad Shah
Kohzo Tashima
AFC Executive Committee
Members:
Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat,
Richard Lai, Moya Dodd, Mahfuza
Akhter Kiron, Susan Shalabi Molano,
Han Un-gyong, HE Mohamed Khalfan
MS Al Romaithi, Chung Mong-gyu,
Ahmed Eid S. Al Harbi, Mariano V.
Araneta Jr., Mohamed Shaweed,
Sardor Rakhmatullaev, Hachem
Sayed Ali Haidar, Viphet Sihachakr, HE
Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, Zohra Mehri
AFC General Secretary:
Dato’ Windsor John
Editor:
Andrew Mullen
Deputy Editor:
Daniel Pordes
Designer:
David Chung
Photos:
Lagardère Sports, Agence SHOT,
Adnan Hajj Ali, Getty Images, Power
Sport Images
Any views expressed in AFC Quarterly do not
necessarily reflect those of the Asian Football
Confederation. The reproduction of photos and
articles – even partially – is prohibited unless
permission has been sought from the editors and
a reference is made to the source.