2015 AFC Champions League group stage

The 2015 AFC Champions League group stage was played from 24 February to 6 May 2015. A total of 32 teams competed in the group stage to decide the 16 places in the knockout stage of the 2015 AFC Champions League.

Draw

The draw for the group stage was held on 11 December 2014, 16:00 UTC+8, at the Petaling Jaya Hilton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four. Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group.

The following 32 teams (16 from West Zone, 16 from East Zone) were entered into the group stage draw, which included the 24 automatic qualifiers and the eight qualifying play-off winners, whose identity was not known at the time of the draw:

Zone Teams
West Zone
(Groups A–D)
East Zone
(Groups E–H)

Format

In the group stage, each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the round of 16.

Tiebreakers

The teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

  1. Greater number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
  2. Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
  3. Greater number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;
  4. Greater number of away goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;
  5. If, after applying criteria 1 to 4, teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 4 are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams in question to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 6 to 10 apply;
  6. Goal difference in all the group matches;
  7. Greater number of goals scored in all the group matches;
  8. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are involved and they are both on the field of play;
  9. Fewer score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in the group matches (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card);
  10. Team who belongs to the member association with the higher AFC ranking.

Groups

The matchdays were 24–25 February, 3–4 March, 17–18 March, 7–8 April, 21–22 April, and 5–6 May 2015.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification LEK PER NSR BYD
1 Lekhwiya 6 4 1 1 9 5 +4 13 Advance to knockout stage — 3–0 1–1 1–0
2 Persepolis 6 4 0 2 7 7 0 12 3–0 — 1–0 2–1
3 Al-Nassr 6 2 2 2 7 6 +1 8 1–3 3–0 — 1–1
4 Bunyodkor 6 0 1 5 2 7 −5 1 0–1 0–1 0–1 —
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Persepolis 3–0 Lekhwiya
Bengar 60'
Norouzi 66'
Nouri 83' (pen.)		 Report
Attendance: 15,350
Bunyodkor 0–1 Persepolis
Report Nouri 21' (pen.)
Attendance: 21,285
Lekhwiya 1–1 Al-Nassr
Weiss 51' Report Musa 47' (o.g.)
Attendance: 3,840
Bunyodkor 0–1 Lekhwiya
Report Nam Tae-hee 28' (pen.)
Attendance: 9,820
Referee: Jumpei Iida (Japan)
Al-Nassr 3–0 Persepolis
Mierzejewski 32'
Estoyanoff 86'
Al-Raheb 90+5'		 Report
Attendance: 20,315
Referee: Ryuji Sato (Japan)
Persepolis 1–0 Al-Nassr
Taremi 62' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
Lekhwiya 1–0 Bunyodkor
Weiss 43' Report
Attendance: 3,188
Bunyodkor 0–1 Al-Nassr
Report Mierzejewski 33'
Attendance: 3,153
Lekhwiya 3–0 Persepolis
Msakni 69'
Nam Tae-hee 83'
Afif 90+3'		 Report
Attendance: 4,877
Persepolis 2–1 Bunyodkor
Nouri 49' (pen.)
Jurabaev 73' (o.g.)		 Report Rashidov 61'
Attendance: 100,000

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AIN NAF PAK SHB
1 Al-Ain 6 3 3 0 7 2 +5 12 Advance to knockout stage — 3–0 1–1 0–0
2 Naft Tehran 6 2 2 2 8 8 0 8 1–1 — 1–1 2–1
3 Pakhtakor 6 1 3 2 6 8 −2 6 0–1 2–1 — 0–2
4 Al-Shabab 6 1 2 3 5 8 −3 5 0–1 0–3 2–2 —
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Pakhtakor 2–1 Naft Tehran
Makharadze 48'
Sergeev 85'		 Report Ghorbani 59'
Attendance: 4,913
Referee: Masaaki Toma (Japan)
Al-Ain 0–0 Al-Shabab
Report
Attendance: 15,426
Naft Tehran 1–1 Al-Ain
Kouroshi 50' Report Gyan 58' (pen.)
Attendance: 3,300
Referee: Tan Hai (China)
Al-Shabab 2–2 Pakhtakor
Al-Khaibari 35'
Hazazi 84'		 Report Sergeev 62'
Makharadze 71' (pen.)
Attendance: 5,404
Pakhtakor 0–1 Al-Ain
Report Stoch 61'
Attendance: 8,675
Naft Tehran 2–1 Al-Shabab
Motahari 86'
Padovani 90'		 Report Hazazi 43' (pen.)
Attendance: 1,560
Al-Ain 1–1 Pakhtakor
Kembo 20' Report Sergeev 45+2'
Attendance: 6,872
Naft Tehran 1–1 Pakhtakor
Rezaei 25' Report Kozak 36'
Attendance: 1,840
Al-Shabab 0–1 Al-Ain
Report Gyan 58'
Attendance: 1,977
Referee: Minoru Tōjō (Japan)
Al-Ain 3–0 Naft Tehran
Abdulrahman 63'
Gyan 74'
Kembo 87'		 Report
Attendance: 4,299

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification HIL SAD FOO LOK
1 Al-Hilal 6 4 1 1 9 4 +5 13 Advance to knockout stage — 2–1 2–0 3–1
2 Al-Sadd 6 3 1 2 9 9 0 10 1–0 — 1–0 6–2
3 Foolad 6 1 3 2 2 4 −2 6 0–0 0–0 — 1–0
4 Lokomotiv Tashkent 6 1 1 4 10 13 −3 4 1–2 5–0 1–1 —
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Foolad 0–0 Al-Sadd
Report
Attendance: 37,843
Lokomotiv Tashkent 1–1 Foolad
Zoteev 6' Report Jama'ati 32'
Attendance: 7,456
Referee: Ryuji Sato (Japan)
Al-Sadd 1–0 Al-Hilal
Ibrahim 29' Report
Attendance: 6,843
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
Foolad 0–0 Al-Hilal
Report
Attendance: 37,452
Lokomotiv Tashkent 5–0 Al-Sadd
Bikmaev 7', 14'
Shoakhmedov 55'
Kojašević 79'
Koryan 90+1'		 Report
Attendance: 3,852
Al-Hilal 2–0 Foolad
Al-Shamrani 46'
Al-Shahrani 61'		 Report
Attendance: 20,087
Referee: Masaaki Toma (Japan)
Foolad 1–0 Lokomotiv Tashkent
Jahantigh 89' Report
Attendance: 2,142
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
Al-Hilal 2–1 Al-Sadd
Al-Salem 20'
Kasola 69' (o.g.)		 Report Al-Haydos 32' (pen.)
Attendance: 9,394

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AHS AHU NSF TRA
1 Al-Ahli 6 3 3 0 11 7 +4 12 Advance to knockout stage — 2–1 2–1 2–0
2 Al-Ahli 6 2 2 2 8 8 0 8 3–3 — 0–0 3–2
3 Nasaf Qarshi 6 2 2 2 5 5 0 8 0–0 0–1 — 2–1
4 Tractor Sazi 6 1 1 4 7 11 −4 4 2–2 1–0 1–2 —
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Nasaf Qarshi 2–1 Tractor Sazi
Shomurodov 46'
Karimov 52'		 Report Edinho 32'
Attendance: 11,160
Al-Ahli 3–3 Al-Ahli
Al Hammadi 19', 79'
Khalil 43'		 Report Osvaldo 2'
Al-Mogahwi 41'
Al-Jassim 57'
Attendance: 7,200
Referee: Minoru Tōjō (Japan)
Tractor Sazi 1–0 Al-Ahli
Ahmadzadeh 40' Report
Attendance: 25,830
Al-Ahli 2–1 Nasaf Qarshi
Al Soma 22'
Al-Amari 78'		 Report Geworkýan 65'
Attendance: 19,855
Al-Ahli 0–0 Nasaf Qarshi
Report
Attendance: 3,121
Al-Ahli 2–0 Tractor Sazi
Al-Jassim 71', 79' Report
Attendance: 45,482
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
Tractor Sazi 2–2 Al-Ahli
Edinho 60'
Saghebi 77'		 Report Al Soma 74', 90'
Attendance: 32,500
Referee: Ryuji Sato (Japan)
Nasaf Qarshi 0–1 Al-Ahli
Report Ribeiro 81'
Attendance: 15,500
Al-Ahli 2–1 Al-Ahli
Abu Radeah 78'
Bruno César 90+4'		 Report Ribeiro 16'
Attendance: 15,842
Al-Ahli 3–2 Tractor Sazi
Ribeiro 58'
Khalil 77', 88'		 Report Bayrami 21'
Nariman Jahan 67'
Attendance: 3,540
Nasaf Qarshi 0–0 Al-Ahli
Report
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Masaaki Toma (Japan)

Group E

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification KSW JHM SLT BBD
1 Kashiwa Reysol 6 3 2 1 14 9 +5 11 Advance to knockout stage — 3–2 2–1 5–1
2 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 6 3 2 1 14 6 +8 11 0–0 — 4–1 3–0
3 Shandong Luneng Taishan 6 2 1 3 13 17 −4 7 4–4 1–4 — 3–1
4 Becamex Bình Dương 6 1 1 4 6 15 −9 4 1–0 1–1 2–3 —
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 0–0 Kashiwa Reysol
Report
Attendance: 13,422

Group F

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification GAM SNM BUR GRF
1 Gamba Osaka 6 3 1 2 10 7 +3 10 Advance to knockout stage — 2–1 1–1 0–2
2 Seongnam FC 6 3 1 2 7 5 +2 10 2–0 — 2–1 0–0
3 Buriram United 6 3 1 2 12 7 +5 10 1–2 2–1 — 5–0
4 Guangzhou R&F 6 1 1 4 3 13 −10 4 0–5 0–1 1–2 —
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Gamba Osaka 0–2 Guangzhou R&F
Report Hamdallah 10'
Wang Song 80'
Attendance: 8,848
Referee: Mohsen Torky (Iran)
Guangzhou R&F 0–1 Seongnam FC
Report Hwang Ui-jo 27'
Attendance: 8,638
Gamba Osaka 1–1 Buriram United
Abe 39' Report Theeraton 62'
Attendance: 6,469
Seongnam FC 0–0 Guangzhou R&F
Report
Attendance: 5,777
Buriram United 1–2 Gamba Osaka
Theeraton 9' Report Lins 41'
Omori 87'
Attendance: 23,987
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
Guangzhou R&F 0–5 Gamba Osaka
Report Patric 14', 45'
Abe 44', 68'
Usami 70'
Attendance: 8,647
Buriram United 5–0 Guangzhou R&F
Diogo 12', 38', 56'
Túñez 36'
Macena 59'		 Report
Attendance: 17,331

Group G

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BJG SSB BRI URA
1 Beijing Guoan 6 3 2 1 6 3 +3 11 Advance to knockout stage — 1–0 0–1 2–0
2 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 6 3 2 1 11 8 +3 11 1–1 — 3–1 2–1
3 Brisbane Roar 6 2 1 3 7 9 −2 7 0–1 3–3 — 1–2
4 Urawa Red Diamonds 6 1 1 4 5 9 −4 4 1–1 1–2 0–1 —
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Brisbane Roar 0–1 Beijing Guoan
Report Shao Jiayi 90+3'
Attendance: 6,851
Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
Urawa Red Diamonds 0–1 Brisbane Roar
Report Borrello 3'
Attendance: 13,527
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)
Urawa Red Diamonds 1–1 Beijing Guoan
Makino 74' Report Yu Dabao 33'
Attendance: 13,683
Beijing Guoan 0–1 Brisbane Roar
Report Kaluđerović 39'
Attendance: 35,578

Group H

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification GET SEO WSW KSM
1 Guangzhou Evergrande 6 3 1 2 9 9 0 10 Advance to knockout stage — 1–0 0–2 4–3
2 FC Seoul 6 2 3 1 5 4 +1 9 0–0 — 0–0 1–0
3 Western Sydney Wanderers 6 2 2 2 9 7 +2 8 2–3 1–1 — 1–2
4 Kashima Antlers 6 2 0 4 10 13 −3 6 2–1 2–3 1–3 —
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Guangzhou Evergrande 1–0 FC Seoul
Goulart 31' Report
Attendance: 46,749
FC Seoul 1–0 Kashima Antlers
Kim Jin-kyu 66' Report
Attendance: 5,790
FC Seoul 0–0 Guangzhou Evergrande
Report
Attendance: 17,157

References

  1. ^ a b "AFC Champions League 2015 Competition Regulations" (PDF). AFC.
  2. ^ "AFC Champions League 2015 Draw". AFC. 12 December 2014.
  3. ^ "AFC Calendar of Competitions 2015" (PDF). AFC.