October 24 – Oman’s Al Seeb Club beat Kuala Lumpur City FC 3-0 to become the first team from the country to win the AFC Cup.
Kuala Lumpur City were bidding to become only the second Malaysian side to win the competition, playing in front of 28,000 fans in the Bukit Jalil Stadium on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.
First half goals from Ali Al Busaidi and Abdulaziz Al Maqbali put Al Seeb in control by half time and a third from Muhsen Al Ghassani meant the trophy would be going back to West Asia for the 16th time in the AFC Cup’s 18 editions.
The win gives Al Seeb a place in the preliminary rounds of the 2023/24 AFC Champions League.
AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: “Everyone at the club, from the officials to the backroom staff deserve praise for working tirelessly to create history and I am confident that this achievement is just a sign of more to come from Al Seeb Club in the AFC’s competitions.”
The AFC Cup final marked the end of the AFC’s competitions in 2022 in a year that saw the confederation deliver 10 tournaments as it returned to full play following recovery from the pandemic.
“The AFC has outlined its Vision and Mission to ensure our teams and players continue to develop through top class competitions, and the presence of two first-time finalists in this year’s AFC Cup™ Final is testament that we are steadfast in delivering on that promise,” said Salman.
“We started 2022 with cautious optimism and thanks to the solidarity and commitment of our Member Associations, clubs, players, match officials and key stakeholders, we have shown the world the solid foundations that Asian football is built upon,” he continued.
“With the AFC set to introduce the newly reformed club seasons next year, I am confident Asian football will usher in greater success in the coming years.”
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