AFC Champions League Elite
After a furious round of action, the-AFC.com takes a look at some facts and figures that caught the eye.
Vintage
At age 34 years and 40 days, Ratchaburi FC’s Njiva Rakotoharimalala become the oldest player to score a hat-trick in AFC Champions League Elite history, overtaking former Al Hilal SFC star Bafetimbi Gomis (aged exactly 34 years v Al Ahli Saudi FC on 6 August 2019). He is also the oldest player to record 4+ goal contributions in a game in the competition since 2013.
Double blow
Al Nassr Club’s 4-0 defeat against Al Ain FC is just the second time they have lost a campaign opening game in the AFC Champions League Elite (1-0 loss to UAE's Al Wasl in 2019). In fact, this is also their joint biggest margin of defeat in the competition (also a 4-0 loss to Qatar's Al Duhail SC in April 2016).
Kashima shine
Kashima Antlers’ 7-1 win over Newcastle Jets is their joint third biggest margin of victory in the AFC Champions League Elite and their second biggest in a campaign opening game – following a 9-1 victory over Krung Thai Bank FC in their opening game of the 2008 edition.
Four in a row
Including their 2-1 win, Al Hilal have now won four straight AFC Champions League Elite games against Al Gharafa – their joint longest winning streak (excluding penalty shootouts) against a single opponent in the competition alongside Al Rayyan (W4 between March 2013 and May 2017) and Al Shorta (W4 between April 2004 and November 2025).
#ACLElite | Beijing FC (CHN) 3-1 FC Pohang Steelers (KOR)
Beijing boost
Beijing FC’s 3-1 win against Pohang Steelers FC is just the third time they have scored 3+ goals in a home game in the AFC Champions League Elite. It was a huge boost as they had scored just a combined two goals in their last five home games in the competition.
Leaky defence
Al Ittihad Club's 1-1 draw with Al Shamal SC means they have now failed to keep a clean sheet in seven consecutive AFC Champions League Elite League Stage matches, their longest such run in the competition. In fact, they have failed to keep a clean sheet in six of their seven such games against Qatari sides in the competition.
Hat-trick rush
With Shanghai Port’s Prince Ampem, Ratchaburi’s Njiva Rakotoharimalala and Kashima Antlers’ Aleksandar Cavric all scoring hat-tricks, the total trebles scored on the opening matchday of AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 is already as many as the entire 2025/26 season.
High and low
Al Sadd kept 73.6% of possession in their 3-0 loss to Esteghlal FC, their highest in an AFC Champions League Elite game that they failed to win since the start of the 2013 season. On the contrary, Esteghlal FC’s 26.4% possession is their lowest in a game they won in the same timeframe in the competition.
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