2004 AFC Champions League explained

Tourney Name:	AFC Champions League
Year:	2004
Num Teams:	26
Champion Other:	Al-Ittihad
Count:	1
Matches:	80
Goals:	252
Top Scorer:	Kim Do-hoon (9 goals)
Player:	Redha Tukar
Prevseason:	2002–03
Nextseason:	2005

The 2004 AFC Champions League was the 23rd edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament and the 2nd edition under the current AFC Champions League title. The title was won by Al-Ittihad over Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma.

Format

Group StageA total of 28 clubs were divided into 7 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 fellow three group members, a total of 6 matches each. Clubs received 3pts for a win, 1pt for a tie, 0pts 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 Differential between the clubs in question
• Goals For between the clubs in question
• Points earned within the group
• Goal Differential within the group
• Goals For within the group

The seven group winners along with the defending champion advanced to the quarter-finals.

Knockout RoundAll 8 clubs were randomly matched; however, the only restriction was that the clubs from the same country could not face each other in the quarter-finals. The games were conducted in 2 legs, home and away, and the aggregate score decided the match winner. If the aggregate score couldn't produce a winner, "away goals rule" was used. If still tied, clubs played extra time, where "away goals rule" still applied. If still tied, the game went to penalties.

Teams

For this year the competition was restricted to clubs from countries considered 'mature' in the 'Vision Asia' paper of AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam, with clubs from 'developing' countries entering the newly created AFC Cup and 'emerging' nations to enter the AFC President's Cup from 2005 onwards.

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Emerging countries

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Qualified Teams

West Asia		East Asia
Quarter Finals
Team	Qualifying method	Team	Qualifying method
Al Ain	Defending champions
Group Stage
Team	Qualifying method	Team	Qualifying method
Riffa	2002–03 Bahraini Premier League champions	Shanghai Shenhua	2003 Chinese Jia-A League champions
Al-Ahli	2003 King's Cup winners	Dalian Shide	2002 Chinese Jia-A League champions
Sepahan	2002–03 Iran Pro League champions	Persik Kediri	2003 Liga Indonesia Premier Division champions
Zob Ahan	2002–03 Hazfi Cup winners	PSM Makassar	2003 Liga Indonesia Premier Division runners-up
Al-Shorta	Chosen by the Iraq Football Association	Yokohama F. Marinos	2003 J.League Division 1 champions
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya	Chosen by the Iraq Football Association	Júbilo Iwata	2003 Emperor's Cup winners
Al Qadisiya	2002–03 Kuwaiti Premier League champions &<br/>2003 Kuwait Emir Cup winners	Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma	2003 K League champions
Al-Arabi	2002–03 Kuwaiti Premier League runners-up	Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors	2003 Korean FA Cup winners
Qatar SC	2002–03 Qatar Stars League champions	Krung Thai Bank	2002–03 Thai League champions
Al Sadd	2002–03 Emir of Qatar Cup winners	BEC-Tero Sasana	2002–03 Thai League runners-up
Al-Ittihad	2002–03 Saudi Premier League champions	Hoang Anh Gia Lai	2003 V-League champions
Al Hilal	2003 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners		2003 Vietnamese Cup winners
Al-Wahda	2002–03 UAE Football League runners-up
Sharjah	2002–03 UAE President's Cup winners
Pakhtakor	2003 Uzbek League champions &<br/>2003 Uzbekistan Cup winners
Neftchi Fergana	2003 Uzbek League runners-up

Notes

Group stage

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Group F

Group G

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Knock-out stage

Quarter-finals

First-leg home team shown first.First-leg home team score shown first for both legs.

First leg

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Second leg

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors won 5–1 on aggregate.----Al-Ittihad won 2–1 on aggregate.----Pakhtakor won 5–1 on aggregate.----Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma won 11–2 on aggregate.

Semifinals

First-leg home team shown first. First-leg home team score shown first for both legs.

First leg

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Second leg

Al-Ittihad won 4–3 on aggregate.----Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma won 2–0 on aggregate.

Final

First-leg home team shown first. First-leg home team score shown first for both legs.

Second leg

Al-Ittihad won 6–3 on aggregate.

External links

• AFC Champions League 2004 Official Page (English)
• AFC Champions League 2004 at RSSSF.com