AFC Champions League 2009 Quarterfinals Preview: Pohang Steelers

How Did Pohang Get To The Quarterfinals?

The Korean power topped Group H with 12 points taking three and drawing three out of six matches played. In the Round of 16, Pohang embarrassed Australia's Newcastle Jets 6-0. Now the club will face Uzbekistan's FC Bunyodkor.

Who To Watch Out For...

Brazilian Denilson Martins Nascimento has scored five goals in the competition. Will the 32-year-old's legs hold out?

28-year-old defender Hwang Jae-Won has been with the club since 2004 and is solid in the back.

Midfielder Kim Gi-Dong, now 37, is looking for one more title.

25-year-old Choi Hyo-Jin is starting to showcase his talent. He scored twice in the Jets thrashing.

Of note, 27-year-old Macedonian striker Stevica Ristić also scored in the Jets match. Will he factor against Bunyodkor?

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Israeli Football Clubs Showing Well

Several Israeli football clubs are competing in both the 2009-10 UEFA Champions and Europa leagues. Maccabi Haifa advanced to the playoff round of the Champions League with a realistic chance of qualifying for the prestigious group stage.

Also, three clubs are alive in the third qualifying round of the 2009-10 UEFA Europa League.

Heading into the second leg of the round, Hapoel Tel Aviv is up (3-1) on IFK Göteborg. Hapoel hosts the Swedish club on August 6th.

Bnei Yehuda travels to Portugal up 1-0 on Paços de Ferreira and only Maccabi Netanya looks certain to soon be out of European competition now that the the club is down four away goals to Turkish power Galatasaray.

Forward Vladimir Dvalishvili, a new signing this summer, has powered Maccabi Haifa's attack thus far.

Will the Israeli club advance to the group stage?

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Panathinaikos, Sporting CP, Anderlecht, Maccabi Haifa, and Red Bull Salzburg advance to the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League Playoff Round

The first results are in with Panathinaikos, Sporting CP, Anderlecht, Maccabi Haifa, and Red Bull Salzburg advancing to the 2009-10 UEFA Champions Leage Playoff Round.

Maccabi Haifa and Red Bull Salzburg now are in the champions bracket (the easier of the two) while Panathinaikos, Sporting CP, and Anderlecht now join Arsenal, Lyon, Stuttgart, Fiorentina, and Atlético Madrid in the non-champions bracket.

More analysis to follow.

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