2019 AFC Cup final

{{Use dmy dates|date = November 2019}} {{Infobox football match | title = 2019 AFC Cup final | pixel = | image = | caption = | event = [[2019 AFC Cup]] | team1 = [[April 25 Sports Club|April 25]] | team1association = {{flagicon|PRK|size=30px}} | team1score = 0 | team2 = [[Al Ahed FC|Al-Ahed]] | team2association = {{flagicon|LIB|size=30px}} | team2score = 1 | details = | date = {{Start date|2019|11|4|df=y}} | stadium = [[Kuala Lumpur Stadium]] | city = [[Kuala Lumpur]] | man_of_the_match1a = [[Issah Yakubu]] (Al-Ahed)<ref name="first leg">{{Cite web|url=http://stats.the-afc.com/match_report/15911|title=4.25 SC v Al Ahed FC |publisher=[[Asian Football Confederation]] |website=the-afc.com|date=4 November 2019|access-date=5 November 2019}}</ref> | referee = [[Hettikamkanamge Perera]] ([[Football Federation of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]])<ref name="first leg"/> | attendance = 500<ref name="first leg"/> | weather = Mostly clear {{convert|27|°C|°F}}<ref name="first leg"/> | previous = [[2018 AFC Cup final|2018]] | next = [[2021 AFC Cup final|2021]] }} The '''2019 AFC Cup final''' was the final match of the [[2019 AFC Cup]], the 16th edition of the [[AFC Cup]], Asia's secondary club [[association football|football]] tournament organized by the [[Asian Football Confederation]] (AFC).<ref name="regulations">{{cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/afc/documents/PdfFiles/afc-cup-2019-competition-regulations|title=2019 AFC Cup Competition Regulations|publisher=AFC|format=PDF}}</ref>

The final was contested as a single match between [[April 25 Sports Club|April 25]] from [[DPR Korea Football Association|North Korea]] and [[Al Ahed FC|Al-Ahed]] from [[Lebanese Football Association|Lebanon]]. The match was played at the [[Kuala Lumpur Stadium]] in [[Kuala Lumpur]] on 4 November 2019.

Al-Ahed won 1–0 by a goal from [[Ghanaians|Ghanaian]] player [[Issah Yakubu]]. This was Al-Ahed's first continental title, as well as the first for a Lebanese team.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://falebanon.com/observations-from-aheds-afc-cup-triumph/|title=Observations from Ahed’s AFC Cup triumph|last=Mahfoud|first=Maroun|date=2019-11-05|website=FaLebanon|language=en|access-date=2019-11-05}}</ref> April 25 became the first North Korean men's football club to qualify for an Asian final,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/ec11c8416d7349eeaeb711a30b585e48|title=North Korea loses hosting soccer match amid TV concerns|date=2019-10-22|website=AP NEWS|access-date=2019-11-05}}</ref> while Al-Ahed were the third Lebanese side to do so (after [[Nejmeh SC|Nejmeh]] in [[2005 AFC Cup|2005]] and [[Safa SC|Safa]] in [[2008 AFC Cup|2008]]).<ref name=":0" />

==Teams== {| class="wikitable" |- !Team !Zone !Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners) |- |{{flagicon|PRK}} [[April 25 Sports Club|April 25]] |East Asia Zone ([[East Asian Football Federation|EAFF]]) (Inter-zone play-off winner) |None |- |{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Al Ahed FC|Al-Ahed]] |West Asia Zone ([[West Asian Football Federation|WAFF]]) |None |}

==Venue==  The match was originally to be hosted by April 25 at the [[Kim Il-sung Stadium]] in [[Pyongyang]], [[North Korea]] on 2 November 2019. However, on 22 October 2019, due to North Korea's decision to ban television transmission of football games, the AFC announced that the final would be held in [[Shanghai]], [[China]] in order for the match to be transmitted.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lebanonfg.com/single/2175|title=نهائي كأس الاتحاد الآسيوي في الصين|website=lebanonfg.com|language=ar|access-date=18 October 2019|date=17 October 2019|archive-date=18 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018213810/https://lebanonfg.com/single/2175|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=AFC Cup 2019 final to be played in Shanghai |url=https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-cup/latest/news/afc-cup-2019-final-to-be-played-in-shanghai |publisher=AFC |date=22 October 2019}}</ref> On 25 October 2019, the match was rescheduled from 2 November to 4 November and the host city was shifted from Shanghai to [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]].<ref>{{cite web |title=AFC Cup 2019 final to be played on November 4 in Kuala Lumpur |url=https://www.the-afc.com/media/afc-cup-2019-final-to-be-played-on-november-4-in-kuala-lumpur |publisher=AFC |date=25 October 2019}}</ref>

==Road to the final== {{details|2019 AFC Cup}}

''Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- !colspan=4|{{flagicon|PRK}} [[April 25 Sports Club|April 25]] !Round !colspan=4|{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Al Ahed FC|Al-Ahed]] |-bgcolor=#c1e0ff |Opponent |colspan=3|Result |[[2019 AFC Cup group stage|Group stage]] |Opponent |colspan=3|Result |- |align=left|{{flagicon|TPE}} [[Hang Yuen F.C.|Hang Yuen]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#I3 v I2|3–0]] (A) |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Matchday 1 |align=left|{{flagicon|KUW}} [[Qadsia SC|Al-Qadsia]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#C1 v C4|0–0]] (H) |- |align=left|{{flagicon|HKG}} [[Kitchee SC|Kitchee]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#I2 v I1|2–0]] (H) |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Matchday 2 |align=left|{{flagicon|BHR}} [[Malkiya Club|Malkiya]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#C2 v C1|0–0]] (A) |- |align=left|{{flagicon|HKG}} [[Tai Po FC|Tai Po]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#I4 v I2|3–1]] (A) |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Matchday 3 |align=left|{{flagicon|OMA}} [[Suwaiq Club|Al-Suwaiq]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#C1 v C3|4–2]] (H) |- |align=left|{{flagicon|HKG}} [[Tai Po FC|Tai Po]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#I2 v I4|4–0]] (H) |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Matchday 4 |align=left|{{flagicon|OMA}} [[Suwaiq Club|Al-Suwaiq]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#C3 v C1|1–0]] (A) |- |align=left|{{flagicon|TPE}} [[Hang Yuen F.C.|Hang Yuen]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#I2 v I3|5–0]] (H) |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Matchday 5 |align=left|{{flagicon|KUW}} [[Qadsia SC|Al-Qadsia]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#C4 v C1|1–0]] (A) |- |align=left|{{flagicon|HKG}} [[Kitchee SC|Kitchee]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#I1 v I2|0–1]] (A) |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Matchday 6 |align=left|{{flagicon|BHR}} [[Malkiya Club|Malkiya]] |colspan=3|[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#C1 v C2|2–1]] (H) |- |colspan=4 align=center valign=top|'''[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#Group I|Group I]] winners''' {{2019 AFC Cup group tables|Group I|only_pld_pts=yes|show_matches=no|showteam=APR}} |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Final standings |colspan=4 align=center valign=top|'''[[2019 AFC Cup group stage#Group C|Group C]] winners''' {{2019 AFC Cup group tables|Group C|only_pld_pts=yes|show_matches=no|showteam=AHE}} |-bgcolor=#c1e0ff |Opponent |Agg. |1st leg |2nd leg |[[2019 AFC Cup knockout stage|Knockout stage]] |Opponent |Agg. |1st leg |2nd leg |- |colspan=4 rowspan=2 align=center|— |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Zonal semi-finals |align=left|{{flagicon|JOR}} [[Al-Wehdat SC|Al-Wehdat]] |1–0 |[[2019 AFC Cup knockout stage#West Asia SF1.1|1–0]] (A) |[[2019 AFC Cup knockout stage#West Asia SF1.2|0–0]] (H) |- |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Zonal finals |align=left|{{flagicon|JOR}} [[Al-Jazeera Club (Jordan)|Al-Jazeera]] |1–0 |[[2019 AFC Cup knockout stage#West Asia F.1|0–0]] (A) |[[2019 AFC Cup knockout stage#West Asia F.2|1–0]] (H) |- |align=left|{{flagicon|BAN}} [[Abahani Limited Dhaka]] |5–4 |[[2019 AFC Cup knockout stage#Inter-zone SF2.1|3–4]] (A) |[[2019 AFC Cup knockout stage#Inter-zone SF2.2|2–0]] (H) |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Inter-zone play-off semi-finals |colspan=4 rowspan=2 align=center|— |- |align=left|{{flagicon|VIE}} [[Hanoi FC|Hà Nội]] |2–2 ([[Away goals rule|a]]) |[[2019 AFC Cup knockout stage#Inter-zone F.1|2–2]] (A) |[[2019 AFC Cup knockout stage#Inter-zone F.2|0–0]] (H) |bgcolor=#c1e0ff|Inter-zone play-off final |}

==Format== The final was played as a single match, with the host team (winners of the Inter-zone play-off final) alternated from the previous season's final.

Should it tied after regulation time, [[extra time (association football)|extra time]] and, if necessary, [[penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]] would have been used to decide the winning team.<ref name="regulations"/>

==Match==

===Details=== <onlyinclude>{{Football box |date = {{Start date|2019|11|4|df=y}} |time = {{UTZ|21:00|8}} |team1 = [[April 25 Sports Club|April 25]] {{flagicon|PRK}} |score = 0–1 |team2 = {{flagicon|LIB}} [[Al Ahed FC|Al-Ahed]] |goals1 = |goals2 = *[[Issah Yakubu|Yakubu]] {{goal|74}} |stadium = [[Kuala Lumpur Stadium]], [[Kuala Lumpur]] |attendance = 500 |referee = [[Hettikamkanamge Perera]] ([[Football Federation of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]]) |report = [http://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-cup/matches/2019/2032184 Live Report] [http://stats.the-afc.com/match_report/15911 Stats Report] }}</onlyinclude>

{| width=92% |- |{{Football kit |pattern_la = _425SportsClub19h |pattern_b = _425SportsClub19h |pattern_ra = _425SportsClub19h |pattern_sh = _425SportsClub19h |pattern_so = _425SportsClub19h |leftarm = F80000 |body = F80000 |rightarm = F80000 |shorts = F80000 |socks = F80000 |title = April 25 }} |{{Football kit |pattern_la = |pattern_b = _ahed1920h |pattern_ra = |pattern_sh = _ahed1920h |pattern_so = |leftarm = FFFF00 |body = FFFFFF |rightarm = FFFF00 |shorts = 050A15 |socks = FFFF00 |title = Al-Ahed }} |}

{| width="100%" |valign="top" width="40%"| {| style="font-size:90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- !width=25| !!width=25| |- |GK ||'''23'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[An Tae-song]] || {{sent off|0|26}} |- |RB ||'''6''' ||{{flagicon|PRK}} Kwon Chung-hyok |- |CB ||'''30'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} An Song-il I |- |CB ||'''5''' ||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Pak Jin-myong]] |- |LB ||'''29'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Pak Song-rok]] |- |RM ||'''31'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Choe Chol-su (footballer)|Choe Chol-su]] || || {{suboff|28}} |- |CM ||'''15'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Won Song]] |- |CM ||'''7''' ||{{flagicon|PRK}} O Hyok-chol |- |LM ||'''14'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Son Pyong-il]] |- |CF ||'''13'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} Rim Chol-min ([[Captain (association football)|c]]) || || {{suboff|40}} |- |CF ||'''10'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[An Il-bom]] |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- |GK ||'''1''' ||{{flagicon|PRK}} Sin Tae-song || || {{subon|28}} |- |DF ||'''2''' ||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Jang Kum-nam]] |- |DF ||'''17'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[An Song-il (footballer, born 1996)|An Song-il II]] || || || {{subon|88}} |- |MF ||'''19'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Yun Il-gwang]] |- |MF ||'''24'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Choe Jong-hyok]] |- |FW ||'''18'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Kim Yu-song]] || || {{subon|40}} || {{suboff|88}} |- |FW ||'''21'''||{{flagicon|PRK}} [[Jang Hyok]] |- |colspan=3|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=3|{{flagicon|PRK}} [[O Yun-son]] |} |valign="top"|[[File:April 25 vs Ahed 2019-11-04.svg|300px]] |valign="top" width="50%"| {| style="font-size:90%; margin:auto" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- !width=25| !!width=25| |- |GK ||'''1''' ||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Mehdi Khalil]] |- |RB ||'''6''' ||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Hussein Zein]] |- |CB ||'''4''' ||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Nour Mansour]] |- |CB ||'''2''' ||{{flagicon|SYR}} [[Ahmad Al Saleh]] |- |LB ||'''8''' ||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Hussein Dakik]] |- |CM ||'''13'''||{{flagicon|GHA}} [[Issah Yakubu]] |- |CM ||'''15'''||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Haytham Faour]] ([[Captain (association football)|c]]) || {{yel|82}} |- |RW ||'''20'''||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Rabih Ataya]] || || {{suboff|80}} |- |AM ||'''10'''||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Mohamad Haidar]] |- |LW ||'''11'''||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Ahmad Zreik]] |- |CF ||'''99'''||{{flagicon|TUN}} [[Ahmed Akaïchi]] || || {{suboff|89}} |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- |GK ||'''21'''||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Mohamad Hammoud (footballer, born 1980)|Mohamad Hammoud]] |- |GK ||'''98'''||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Hadi Khalil]] |- |DF ||'''5''' ||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Khalil Khamis (footballer, born 1995)|Khalil Khamis]] |- |MF ||'''7''' ||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Hussein Monzer]] || {{yel|90+3}} || {{subon|89}} |- |MF ||'''14'''||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Walid Shour]] |- |MF ||'''23'''||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Ali Hadid]] |- |FW ||'''30'''||{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Tarek El Ali]] || || {{subon|80}} |- |colspan=3|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=3|{{flagicon|LIB}} [[Bassem Marmar]] |} |}

{| style="width:100%; font-size:90%;" | '''Man of the Match:''' [[Issah Yakubu]] (Al-Ahed)<ref name="first leg"/> '''[[Assistant referee (association football)|Assistant referees]]:'''<ref name="first leg"/> Deniye Gedara Palitha Parakkrama Hemathunga ([[Football Federation of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]]) Wellabada Hewage Don Senjeewa Premalal ([[Football Federation of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]]) '''[[Assistant referee (association football)#Fourth official|Fourth official]]:''' Omar Al-Yaqoubi ([[Oman Football Association|Oman]]) '''[[Assistant referee (association football)#Fifth official|Fifth official]]:''' Abdullah Al-Jardani ([[Oman Football Association|Oman]]) |style="width:60%; vertical-align:top;"| '''Match rules'''<ref name="regulations"/> *90 minutes. *30 minutes of [[Overtime (sports)#Association football|extra time]] if tied. *[[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|Penalty shoot-out]] if still tied after extra time. *Seven named substitutes, of which up to three may be used, with a fourth allowed in extra time. |}

==See also== *[[2019 AFC Champions League Final]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-cup/|name=AFC Cup}}, the-AFC.com *[http://stats.the-afc.com/tournaments/254 AFC Cup 2019], stats.the-AFC.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Afc Cup Final 2019}} [[Category:AFC Champions League Two finals]] [[Category:2019 AFC Cup|*Final]] [[Category:November 2019 sports events in Asia]] [[Category:Al Ahed FC matches]] [[Category:Football matches in Malaysia]] [[Category:Football in Kuala Lumpur]] [[Category:2010s in Kuala Lumpur]] [[Category:2019–20 in Lebanese football]] [[Category:2019 in North Korean football]] [[Category:April 25 Sports Club]]