AFC Champions League Elite - Vote for your VISA Top Goal of MD1

AFC Champions League Elite
#ACLElite – Vote for your VISA Top Goal of MD1
Tue, 23 September, 2025

Kuala Lumpur: Matchday One of the AFC Champions League Elite™ 2025/26 lived up to the hype with excitement, drama, and of course, top goals, as Asia's heavyweights announced themselves across the continent.

Long-distance rocket, one-two and stoppage-time winner, you name it! MD1 delivered the full spectrum: breakneck counters, precision from the edge, and nerves of steel when it mattered most.

Following the first round of fixtures, the-AFC.com selects the standout finishes from MD1 and asks you, the fans of Asian football, to vote for your favourite VISA Best Goal at the bottom of the article.

Steven Bergwijn (Al Ittihad Club) vs Al Wahda FC — 21’

Steven Bergwijn (Al Ittihad Club) vs Al Wahda — 21’

Al Ittihad's winger broke the deadlock with a finish that blended pace and authority. Gliding in off the flank, Bergwijn shaped the defender with a feint, opened his body, and guided a crisp shot beyond the goalkeeper's reach. The Dutch sent the ball flying, which silenced a stadium—hit early, hit true, and hit with complete conviction.

Enzo Millot (Al Ahli Saudi FC) vs PFC Nasaf — 65'

Two goals down and the reigning champions fumed! With the match poised, Millot produced the moment that started the comeback. Drifting between the lines, he made Nasaf's goalkeeper pay for his mistake. Millot needed no second look or touch; he fired from long range to bend it inside the far post. The technique spoke louder than power: head up, hips aligned, the confidence and the curl measured to the millimetre.

Igor Coronado (Sharjah FC) vs Al Gharafa SC — 90+10’

Igor Coronado (Sharjah FC) vs Al Gharafa — 90+10’

Deep into stoppage time, Sharjah's talisman summoned a last act worthy of MD1. Coronado's first touch killed the panic; his second invited defenders to lunge and miss; his third was pure execution—low, precise, ruthless. When the pressure peaked, the No.10 played as if the clock were his to command and eventually won the game for his side.

Tomislav Strkalj (Tractor FC) vs Shabab Al Ali — 13'

An early statement from the visitors. Strkalj attacked the near channel, timed his run to perfection, and met the delivery with a striker's finish—the first two touches to separate the opponent before rocketing the ball in the back of the net. Eyes rolled, heads shook, and cheers were loud. Simple on the chalkboard, devastating in real life: movement, aggression, and a striker's certainty.

Joao Teixeira (Shanghai Shenhua FC) vs Gangwon FC — 45+1’

Joao Teixeira (Shanghai Shenhua) vs Gangwon FC — 45+1’

Right on the stroke of half-time, Teixeira delivered a technical postcard. Receiving on the half-turn, he created half a yard with a shimmy and threaded a precise effort into the corner. The placement was immaculate; the timing, cruel. A goal that changed both the scoreboard and the team talk.

Suphanat Mueanta (Buriram United) vs Johor Darul Ta'zim — 49’

Suphanat Mueanta (Buriram United) vs Johor Darul Ta'zim — 50’

Seconds into the second half, the Thai starlet struck with trademark sharpness. Suphanat made the run and put himself in an ideal position before turning a goal assist into a diamond with his sublime curve. Suphanat made a difficult chance look routine—speed, poise, and the instinct to punish a half-chance.

Erik (Vissel Kobe) vs Shanghai Port - 19’

Brazilian striker Erik fired Vissel Kobe into a dominant opener against Shanghai Port. The on-loan marksman from Machida Zelvia received the ball from Yuya Osako, whose effort was not in vain. Erik needed two touches before the ball left his right foot and went unstoppably straight to the top bin.

Hong-Chul (Gangwon FC) vs Shanghai Shenhua - 54’

Gangwon needed a goal to turn the tide against Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua, having gone one goal down with Joao Teixeira's sublime first-half finish. And Hong Chul did not just score, he delivered a beauty. The 35-year-old pulled a quick, formidable left-foot low shot to the far side of the post as he equalised for the home side. What a way to set fire to a comeback at Gangneung.

Cast your vote below for the VISA Best Goal of MD1 and share your pick on the AFC LIVE app. We'll reveal the winner on the-AFC.com following the close of voting.

Poll ends at 17:00 (UTC+8) on September 26

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