Football
John Duerden, Asia correspondent 8y

Shanghai SIPG face Jeonbuk, FC Seoul take on Shandong Luneng in ACL QFs

South Korea against China rivalry will dominate the 2016 Asian Champions League (ACL) quarterfinals with Shanghai SIPG taking on Jeonbuk Motors and FC Seoul meeting Shandong Luneng.

The draw was held in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday afternoon with the two East Asian countries being kept apart.

Shanghai, coached by Sven Goran Eriksson and hosts of the first leg, finished as runners-up in the 2015 Chinese Super League to enter the continental competition for the first time. Like Jeonbuk, Shanghai finished as group winners.

Seoul finished above Shandong in the group stage, winning 4-1 in China and then being held to a goalless draw at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Shandong, who travel to Korea for the first leg, changed coaches this week with former Brazil boss Mano Menezes being replaced by ex-Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath due to poor league form.

"This is a new competition now," FC Seoul general manager Kim Tae-joo told ESPN FC.

"We can forget what happened in the group stage. We start again and it will be different as they have a new coach now."

In the western half of the draw, Al Ain 0f the United Arab Emirates will host Lokomotiv of Uzbekistan in the first leg, the only team to remain unbeaten in the competition.

United Arab Emirates' other representative Al Nasr will travel to El Jaish of Qatar before heading home for the return match.

The first leg of the quarterfinals will be played on Aug. 23 and 24 with the second legs held on Sep. 13 and 14.

^ Back to Top ^