كأس الاتحاد الآسيوي 2023-2024

While this is the maiden appearance for the Australian side, very few teams have been as ever-present as Al Ahed, who appeared in the AFC Cup 12 times. The current iteration of the team had a rollercoaster ride of a season, taking them to the final. The-AFC.com relives the journey of the team from Beirut to Sunday’s final.

With a new three-tier system featuring the AFC Champions League Elite, the AFC Champions League 2 and the AFC Challenge League to be introduced from the 2024/25 season, both Al Ahed and Central Coast will be eager to bring the curtains down on the two-decade-old competition by emerging as its last-ever champion.

With excitement growing ahead of the title showdown at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, join the-AFC.com as we look back at Central Coast’s memorable journey to the AFC Cup 2023/24 final.

Over the years, AFC Cup finals saw their fair share of goals, drama and unforgettable celebrations. Ahead of the last AFC Cup final, the-AFC.com looks back at five of the most memorable final showdowns in the history of the competition.

The tournament’s 19th edition will be its last as a glorious chapter in Asian football comes to an end two decades after the AFC Cup was launched back in 2004.

As the-AFC.com continues its build-up towards the grand finale, we look back at some of the records and milestones from through the years.

Twenty years and three months earlier, it was another Lebanese team that kicked-off this iconic competition, and coincidentally, it was on the same famous ground in the Omani capital Muscat that Olympic Beirut then opened the 2004 edition against Syria’s Al Jaish.

After 19 editions and 12 different champions that could go up to 13 on Sunday, the curtain falls on the AFC Cup as the AFC club competitions enter a new era with the introduction of a three-tier system including the AFC Champions League Elite, the AFC Champions League 2 and the AFC Challenge League in 2024/25.

The 46-year-old Englishman, while delighted that his players passed a stiff test, does not see it as the end of a journey for his Australian outfit, saying the club from top to bottom stand together in their bid to win the final edition of the AFC Cup.

After a goalless first half at Central Coast Stadium, Miguel Di Pizio found the breakthrough for the hosts in the 78th minute before a goal from Mikael Doka and a second from Di Pizio sealed their 4-1 aggregate win and booked the title clash with Lebanon’s Al Ahed FC on May 5.

Leading 1-0 after the first leg, Lebanon's Al Ahed found themselves pegged back by Omer Al Malki's equaliser.

Lee Erwin, however, scored twice after coming off the bench with Walter Bwalya's late goal proving to be a mere consolation as 2019 AFC Cup winners Al Ahed advanced 3-2 on aggregate.