2022 AFC Cup qualifying play-offs

The 2022 AFC Cup qualifying play-offs were played from 5 to 19 April 2022.[1] A total of ten teams competed in the qualifying play-offs to decide three of the 39 places in the group stage of the 2022 AFC Cup.[2]

Teams

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The following 10 teams, split into five zones (West Asia Zone, Central Asia Zone, South Asia Zone, ASEAN Zone, East Asia Zone), entered the qualifying play-offs, consisting of three rounds:

  • 4 teams entered in the preliminary round 1.
  • 2 teams entered in the preliminary round 2.
  • 4 teams entered in the play-off.
Zone Teams entering in play-off round Teams entering in preliminary round 2 Teams entering in preliminary round 1
West Asia Zone
None
South Asia Zone
Central Asia Zone
None
ASEAN Zone
East Asia Zone

Format

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In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. Extra time and penalty shoot-out were used to decide the winner if necessary.[2]

Schedule

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The schedule of each round was as follows.[1]

Round Match date
Preliminary round 1 5 April 2022
Preliminary round 2 12 April 2022
Play-off round 19 April 2022

Bracket

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The bracket of the qualifying play-offs for each zone was determined based on each team's association ranking, with the team from the higher-ranked association hosting the match. The three winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 36 direct entrants.

South Asia play-off

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Preliminary round 1Preliminary round 2Play-off round
 
          
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  ATK Mohun Bagan5
 
 
 
  Blue Star0
 
  Machhindra1
 
 
 
  Blue Star2
 
  ATK Mohun Bagan3
 
 
  Abahani Limited Dhaka1
 
 
 
 
 
  Abahani Limited Dhakaw/o
 
 
 
  Valencia
 
  Valencia (a.e.t.)2
 
 
  Paro1
 

ASEAN play-off

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Play-off round
 
  
 
 
 
 
  Visakha FC
 
 
  Young Elephants
 

East Asia play-off

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Play-off round
 
  
 
 
 
 
  Lee Man2
 
 
  Athletic 2201
 

Preliminary round 1

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Summary

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A total of four teams played in the preliminary round 1.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
South Asia Zone
Machhindra   1–2   Blue Star
Valencia   2–1 (a.e.t.)   Paro

South Asia Zone

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Machhindra  1–2  Blue Star
Report
Attendance: 2,369
Referee: Yousif Saeed Hassan (Iraq)

Valencia  2–1 (a.e.t.)  Paro
Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah (Singapore)

Preliminary round 2

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Summary

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A total of four teams played in the preliminary round 2: two teams which entered in this round, and two winners of the preliminary round 1.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
South Asia Zone
ATK Mohun Bagan   5–0   Blue Star
Abahani Limited Dhaka   Cancelled[note 1]   Valencia

South Asia Zone

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ATK Mohun Bagan  5–0  Blue Star
Report

Abahani Limited Dhaka  Cancelled[note 1]  Valencia
Report
Referee: Akhrol Riskullayev (Uzbekistan)

Play-off round

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Summary

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A total of six teams played in the play-off round: four teams which entered in this round, and two winners of the preliminary round 2.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
South Asia Zone
ATK Mohun Bagan   3–1   Abahani Limited Dhaka
Team 1  Score  Team 2
ASEAN Zone
Visakha FC   Cancelled[note 2]   Young Elephants
Team 1  Score  Team 2
East Zone
Lee Man   2–1   Athletic 220

South Asia Zone

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ATK Mohun Bagan  3–1  Abahani Limited Dhaka
Report
Attendance: 31,925
Referee: Seyed Vahid Kazemi (Iran)

ASEAN Zone

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East Asia Zone

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Lee Man  2–1  Athletic 220
Report

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c On 11 April 2022, the AFC announced that Valencia withdrew from the preliminary stage of the qualification, citing financial constraints. Abahani Limited Dhaka advanced to the play-off round.[3][4]
  2. ^ a b c d e On 19 January 2022, the AFC announced that the two teams from Myanmar, Shan United and Hanthawaddy United, withdrew from the group stage after the draw.[5] As a result, on 1 March 2022, the AFC decided to cancel the ASEAN zone play-off round match between Visakha FC and Young Elephants, and promote both the participating teams to the group stage to fill the vacant group stage spots.[6]
  3. ^ After the 2021–22 Hong Kong Premier League season was cancelled on 25 February 2022, due to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spread in Hong Kong,[7] the Hong Kong clubs announced that they would train overseas for their respective Asian campaigns. Hence, Lee Man asked their playoff round match against Athletic 220 to be moved to a different venue, which was later decided to be Athletic 220's home venue MFF Football Centre in Ulaanbaatar.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "AFC Competitions Calendar 2022" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-01-13. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  2. ^ a b "AFC Cup 2022 Competition Regulations" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation.
  3. ^ "Latest update on the AFC Cup 2022". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Uncertainty over Club Valencia's arrival". The Daily Star. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  5. ^ "AFC confirms the withdrawal of Myanmar clubs". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  6. ^ "AFC's decision on withdrawal of Myanmar clubs". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Arrangement of 2021-2022 BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League and cup matches". Hong Kong Football Association. 25 February 2022.
  8. ^ Chan, Kin-wa (1 March 2022). "Hong Kong side Lee Man follow Kitchee's lead, head overseas to train for AFC Cup campaign". South China Morning Post.
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