Kuala Lumpur 1 March : Following the withdrawals of Myanmar’s Shan United FC and Hantharwady United FC from this season’s AFC Club Competitions on 19 January 2022, the AFC Competitions Committee has today decided on the next course of action for the AFC Cup 2022.
With a view to ensure the consistency and integrity of the AFC Cup 2022 as well as the original draw mechanics, seedings and draw results of the Group Stage and Playoff Matches and to minimise the impact of the withdrawal of Myanmar clubs, the Committee decided to cancel the Playoff match between Cambodia’s Visakha FC and Young Elephants FC from Laos which was scheduled for April 19, 2022.
Instead, both clubs have been awarded slots to the Group Stage, with Visakha FC occupying position G4 in Group G, which was originally reserved for the winner of the Playoff match, joining Indonesia’s Bali United FC, Malaysia’s Kedah Darul Aman FC and Kaya FC-Iloilo from the Philippines.
At the same time, Young Elephants FC, who were in the same ranking pot as the withdrawn Hantharwady United FC, will be placed in position I4 in Group I alongside Vietnam’s Viettel FC, Hougang United from Singapore and Phnom Penh Crown FC of Cambodia.
Meanwhile, there will be no replacement for Shan United FC and therefore Group H will feature three Participating Clubs – Malaysian side Kuala Lumpur City FC, Singapore’s Tampines Rovers and PSM Makassar of Indonesia.
Additionally, in determining the remaining slots for the AFC Champions League 2022, it was earlier confirmed that the Preliminary Stage match between Shan United FC and Melbourne Victory had been cancelled with the recently crowned FFA Cup winners advancing to the Playoff stage where they will face Japan’s Vissel Kobe on March 15, 2022.
Source : AFC
