India registered their first victory in the Asian Cup&nbsp;since 1964 on Sunday at Al Nahyan Stadium&nbsp;in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;

India's star player Sunil Chhetri, who was playing in his second Asian Cup, scored twice as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-cup-2019-sunil-chhetri-strikes-twice-as-india-defeat-thailand-4-1-188580">India defeated Thailand 4-1</a>.

Midfielder Anirudha Thapa and second-half substitute Jeje Lalpekhlua were the other scorers.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/all-you-need-to-know-about-asian-cup-2019-188242">All you need to know about </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/all-you-need-to-know-about-asian-cup-2019-188242">Asian</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/all-you-need-to-know-about-asian-cup-2019-188242"> Cup 2019</a>

Besides winning the match, Chhetri went past Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, who has so far scored 65 goals from 128 matches.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest scorer with 85 from 154 matches.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
🆕 Biggest ever Asian Cup win for the Indians! 
 
What an achievement to KO the Blue Tigers’ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsianCup2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsianCup2019</a> campaign! 🐯 <a href="https://t.co/fsXo4QB586">pic.twitter.com/fsXo4QB586</a>
— #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) <a href="https://twitter.com/afcasiancup/status/1081940705453506561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The 34-year-old Chhetri, who was playing his 105th match, also become the highest Indian scorer in the Asian Cup, surpassing former player Inder Singh.&nbsp;

Inder Singh scored twice in the 1964 edition when the country had finished runners-up. &nbsp;

This is India's fourth participation in the Asian Cup and the win against Thailand was Blue Tigers' third win in 11 matches.&nbsp;

The country won two matches and lost one in the 1964 edition in Israel, competed by just four countries, then lost three and drawn one in 1984 and were beaten in all their three group matches in 2011.&nbsp;

A draw in either of the two coming matches against UAE and Bahrain could see India through to the knockout round.&nbsp;

The match was watched by the 12 Thai schoolboys rescued from a flooded jungle cave last year after being trapped for more than two weeks.&nbsp;

India registered their first victory in the Asian Cup since 1964 on Sunday at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. India's star player Sunil Chhetri, who was playing in his second Asian Cup, scored twice as India defeated Thailand 4-1.

India registered their first victory in the Asian Cup since 1964 on Sunday at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. India's star player Sunil Chhetri, who was playing in his second Asian Cup, scored twice as India defeated Thailand 4-1. Midfielder Anirudha Thapa and second-half substitute Jeje Lalpekhlua were the other scorers. Also Read: All you need to know about Asian Cup 2019 Besides winning the match, Chhetri went past Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, who has so far scored 65 goals from 128 matches. Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest scorer with 85 from 154 matches. 🆕 Biggest ever Asian Cup win for the Indians! What an achievement to KO the Blue Tigers’ #AsianCup2019 campaign! 🐯 pic.twitter.com/fsXo4QB586 — #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) January 6, 2019 × The 34-year-old Chhetri, who was playing his 105th match, also become the highest Indian scorer in the Asian Cup, surpassing former player Inder Singh. Inder Singh scored twice in the 1964 edition when the country had finished runners-up. This is India's fourth participation in the Asian Cup and the win against Thailand was Blue Tigers' third win in 11 matches. The country won two matches and lost one in the 1964 edition in Israel, competed by just four countries, then lost three and drawn one in 1984 and were beaten in all their three group matches in 2011. A draw in either of the two coming matches against UAE and Bahrain could see India through to the knockout round. The match was watched by the 12 Thai schoolboys rescued from a flooded jungle cave last year after being trapped for more than two weeks.

Asian Cup 2019: India's win over Thailand is their first victory in 55 years

India cruised past Thailand 4-1 in Group A at the AFC Asian Cup to register their first victory in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-cup-2019-india-register-first-win-in-55-years-188584">Asian Cup since 1964</a>.&nbsp;

Sunil Chhetri and co. celebrated the win with the fans at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The video went viral, in which team India spotted celebrating with the fans and doing the famous Viking clap.

The video was posted via Twitter with a caption, "Nothing beats postmatch celebrations with the fans."

India captain Chhetri, who was playing in his second Asian Cup, made no mistake from the penalty spot after Theerathon Bunmathan's handball in the 26th minute.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/all-you-need-to-know-about-asian-cup-2019-188242">All you need to know about&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/all-you-need-to-know-about-asian-cup-2019-188242">Asian</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/all-you-need-to-know-about-asian-cup-2019-188242">&nbsp;Cup 2019</a>

Chhetri found the net again in the 46th minute, Anirudh Thapa added a third on 68 minutes and substitute Jeje Lalpekhlua rounded off a perfect start to the tournament for India 10 minutes from time.

The video went viral, in which team India spotted celebrating with the fans.

Watch the video here:&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Nothing beats postmatch celebrations with the fans 👏🇮🇳! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsianCup2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsianCup2019</a> <a href="https://t.co/JFbAxuHKTS">pic.twitter.com/JFbAxuHKTS</a>
— #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) <a href="https://twitter.com/afcasiancup/status/1081935786797350912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Chhetri went past the Argentine superstar in the list of goals scored by an active footballer on the international arena, leading, as he has so many times done, his country to its first win in the AFC Asian Cup since 1964.&nbsp;

He was modesty personified after going past (in terms of goals scored at least) one of the modern day's greatest footballers.&nbsp;

"Records don't matter, it doesn't matter who scores the goals. Whoever scores the jubilation was the same. I'm glad we got all three points," Chhetri said after the sensational 4-1 result against Thailand, the team that featured three J-League players in its ranks.

India cruised past Thailand 4-1 in Group A at the AFC Asian Cup to register their first victory in the Asian Cup since 1964. Sunil Chhetri and co. celebrated the win with the fans at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

India cruised past Thailand 4-1 in Group A at the AFC Asian Cup to register their first victory in the Asian Cup since 1964. Sunil Chhetri and co. celebrated the win with the fans at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The video went viral, in which team India spotted celebrating with the fans and doing the famous Viking clap. The video was posted via Twitter with a caption, "Nothing beats postmatch celebrations with the fans." India captain Chhetri, who was playing in his second Asian Cup, made no mistake from the penalty spot after Theerathon Bunmathan's handball in the 26th minute. Also Read: All you need to know about Asian Cup 2019 Chhetri found the net again in the 46th minute, Anirudh Thapa added a third on 68 minutes and substitute Jeje Lalpekhlua rounded off a perfect start to the tournament for India 10 minutes from time. The video went viral, in which team India spotted celebrating with the fans. Watch the video here: Nothing beats postmatch celebrations with the fans 👏🇮🇳! #AsianCup2019 pic.twitter.com/JFbAxuHKTS — #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) January 6, 2019 × Chhetri went past the Argentine superstar in the list of goals scored by an active footballer on the international arena, leading, as he has so many times done, his country to its first win in the AFC Asian Cup since 1964. He was modesty personified after going past (in terms of goals scored at least) one of the modern day's greatest footballers. "Records don't matter, it doesn't matter who scores the goals. Whoever scores the jubilation was the same. I'm glad we got all three points," Chhetri said after the sensational 4-1 result against Thailand, the team that featured three J-League players in its ranks.

Watch: Sunil Chhetri-led team celebrates with fan after historic Asian Cup win

To say Sunil Chhetri and Lionel Messi in the same breath is more than a little odd is what the talismanic Indian striker himself felt once or twice.&nbsp;

On Sunday, he went past the Argentine superstar in the list of goals scored by an active footballer on the international arena, leading, as he has so many times done, his country to its first win in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-cup-2019-india-register-first-win-in-55-years-188584">the AFC Asian Cup since 1964</a>.&nbsp;

He was modesty personified after going past (in terms of goals scored at least) one of the modern day's greatest footballers.&nbsp;

"Records don't matter, it doesn't matter who scores the goals. Whoever scores the jubilation was the same. I'm glad we got all three points," Chhetri said after the sensational 4-1 result against Thailand, the team that featured three J-League players in its ranks.&nbsp;

The 34-year-old Chhetri scored a world-class goal -- his second of the game -- but he preferred to talk everything else but his strike, which became a talking point for Indian football fans.&nbsp;

"I can think about my goals some ten years later," he maintained post-match.&nbsp;

"At the moment, we need to focus. The goals need to come and it just doesn't matter who scores," he stated.&nbsp;

"You can see the jubilation and happiness whenever someone scores. I am so happy for the boys. Every one of them ran and defended for their lives."&nbsp;

Playing in his second Asian Cup and 105th match, Chhetri scored in the 27th (penalty) and 46th minutes for his 66th and 67th goals to become the second highest international scorer.&nbsp;

With 85 strikes from 154 games, only Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo remains ahead of the Indian at the moment.&nbsp;

But Chhetri would rather talk about the difficult upcoming engagements.&nbsp;

"It's a tough pool when we started thinking, we felt that all the others were more experienced and better than us. But the manner the boys fought, it shows a lot of character. I have said this before, we are a very difficult team to play against," he maintained.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The NEW second highest (active) International goalscorer <a href="https://twitter.com/chetrisunil11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chetrisunil11</a> 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 <a href="https://t.co/8lLG1XrIAv">pic.twitter.com/8lLG1XrIAv</a>
— #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) <a href="https://twitter.com/afcasiancup/status/1081963909765124099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"We may not be the most technical team but we will fight till the end, and that's what the boys showed.&nbsp;

Looking at the statistics and the goal-scoring comparisons between him and them (Messi and Ronaldo), Chhetri had said last year, "It's not even fair. The two players who are above me are completely world stars. I am a big fan of Messi and Ronaldo. There is a massive difference between them and us.&nbsp;

here is no comparison at all." 
On Sunday, after his team's convincing victory, Chhetri was all praise for the passing abilities of Thailand.&nbsp;

"They were very good with the ball. We saw that in the first half. We knew that if we allowed them space they would just be passing around the whole park and we may not even touch the ball. So we stayed close.&nbsp;

"The goals came in the right times and it helped a lot."&nbsp;

On the many fans that turned up to back the Indian team, he said, "The onus was on them... We expect so much from them, they have made us so used to all the support. I hope in the coming matches also we can give them things to cheer."

To say Sunil Chhetri and Lionel Messi in the same breath is more than a little odd is what the talismanic Indian striker himself felt once or twice. On Sunday, he went past the Argentine superstar in the list of goals scored by an active footballer on the international arena, leading, as he has so many times done, his country to its first win in the AFC Asian Cup since 1964.

To say Sunil Chhetri and Lionel Messi in the same breath is more than a little odd is what the talismanic Indian striker himself felt once or twice. On Sunday, he went past the Argentine superstar in the list of goals scored by an active footballer on the international arena, leading, as he has so many times done, his country to its first win in the AFC Asian Cup since 1964. He was modesty personified after going past (in terms of goals scored at least) one of the modern day's greatest footballers. "Records don't matter, it doesn't matter who scores the goals. Whoever scores the jubilation was the same. I'm glad we got all three points," Chhetri said after the sensational 4-1 result against Thailand, the team that featured three J-League players in its ranks. The 34-year-old Chhetri scored a world-class goal -- his second of the game -- but he preferred to talk everything else but his strike, which became a talking point for Indian football fans. "I can think about my goals some ten years later," he maintained post-match. "At the moment, we need to focus. The goals need to come and it just doesn't matter who scores," he stated. "You can see the jubilation and happiness whenever someone scores. I am so happy for the boys. Every one of them ran and defended for their lives." Playing in his second Asian Cup and 105th match, Chhetri scored in the 27th (penalty) and 46th minutes for his 66th and 67th goals to become the second highest international scorer. With 85 strikes from 154 games, only Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo remains ahead of the Indian at the moment. But Chhetri would rather talk about the difficult upcoming engagements. "It's a tough pool when we started thinking, we felt that all the others were more experienced and better than us. But the manner the boys fought, it shows a lot of character. I have said this before, we are a very difficult team to play against," he maintained. The NEW second highest (active) International goalscorer @chetrisunil11 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/8lLG1XrIAv — #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) January 6, 2019 × "We may not be the most technical team but we will fight till the end, and that's what the boys showed. Looking at the statistics and the goal-scoring comparisons between him and them (Messi and Ronaldo), Chhetri had said last year, "It's not even fair. The two players who are above me are completely world stars. I am a big fan of Messi and Ronaldo. There is a massive difference between them and us. here is no comparison at all." On Sunday, after his team's convincing victory, Chhetri was all praise for the passing abilities of Thailand. "They were very good with the ball. We saw that in the first half. We knew that if we allowed them space they would just be passing around the whole park and we may not even touch the ball. So we stayed close. "The goals came in the right times and it helped a lot." On the many fans that turned up to back the Indian team, he said, "The onus was on them... We expect so much from them, they have made us so used to all the support. I hope in the coming matches also we can give them things to cheer."

Asian Cup 2019: Whoever scores jubilation remains same, says Sunil Chhetri

Cricket-mad India stunned Thailand 4-1 at the Asian Cup football tournament on Sunday, veteran striker Sunil Chhetri scoring twice in their Group A opener.

Watched by the 12 Thai schoolboys rescued from a flooded jungle cave last year after being trapped for more than two weeks, the War Elephants had little answer to India's brimming energy in Abu Dhabi.

Chhetri opened the scoring when he smashed home from the penalty spot after 27 minutes.

The Blue Tigers were in front for just seven minutes, Thai captain Teerasil Dangda restoring parity by bravely heading home a Theerathon Bunmathan free kick.

But Chhetri drilled his second of the game moments into the second half following a lung-bursting run down the right from Udanta Singh.

Things got worse for Thailand when Anirudh Thapa chipped in a third in the 68th minute before substitute Lalpekhlua Jeje completed the rout to leave India as unlikely group leaders.

Hosts United Arab Emirates were held 1-1 by Bahrain in Saturday's curtain-raiser.

Cricket-mad India stunned Thailand 4-1 at the Asian Cup football tournament on Sunday, veteran striker Sunil Chhetri scoring twice in their Group A opener. Watched by the 12 Thai schoolboys rescued from a flooded jungle cave last year after being trapped for more than two weeks, the War Elephants had little answer to India's brimming energy in Abu Dhabi.

Cricket-mad India stunned Thailand 4-1 at the Asian Cup football tournament on Sunday, veteran striker Sunil Chhetri scoring twice in their Group A opener. Watched by the 12 Thai schoolboys rescued from a flooded jungle cave last year after being trapped for more than two weeks, the War Elephants had little answer to India's brimming energy in Abu Dhabi. Chhetri opened the scoring when he smashed home from the penalty spot after 27 minutes. The Blue Tigers were in front for just seven minutes, Thai captain Teerasil Dangda restoring parity by bravely heading home a Theerathon Bunmathan free kick. But Chhetri drilled his second of the game moments into the second half following a lung-bursting run down the right from Udanta Singh. Things got worse for Thailand when Anirudh Thapa chipped in a third in the 68th minute before substitute Lalpekhlua Jeje completed the rout to leave India as unlikely group leaders. Hosts United Arab Emirates were held 1-1 by Bahrain in Saturday's curtain-raiser.

Asian Cup 2019: Sunil Chhetri strikes twice as India beat Thailand 4-1

The 2019 AFC Asian Cup, the 17th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, will be held in the United Arab Emirates from January 5 to February 1, 2019. The 16-team format, which was used from 2004 to 2015, has been expanded and now, for the first time, the Asian Cup tournament will be contested by 24 teams.

AFC Asian Cup 2019: Schedule, Time and Venue

The 17th Asian Cup tournament, to be held in the United Arab Emirates from January 5 to February 1.

Here is all you need to know about the tournament:

-The Asian Cup is the pre-eminent football tournament in the vast continent, although it had inauspicious beginnings in 1956 when four teams played a round-robin tournament in Hong Kong, two years after the Asian Football Confederation was formed.

-Hong Kong's Chang Chi Kong scored the competition's first goal in front of 30,000 spectators against Israel, who won the game 3-2. South Korea went on to win the title ahead of Israel with the hosts third and South Vietnam fourth.

-It is the second oldest continental football tournament in the world behind South America's Copa America, which began in 1916.

-The tournament has been dominated by the traditional powerhouses of Asian football with Japan having won the most titles - their fourth coming in a 1-0 victory over Australia in 2011.

-Israel won the title in 1964 and finished third in 1968 but did not take part in Asian competition after 1974 due to political issues with Arab nations. It moved to UEFA in 1994.

-South Korea won the first two tournaments and were losing finalists in 2015.

-Iran won three successive titles from 1968-1976 - their only victories in the competition - and are still the only side to win three successive tournaments. They finished third in 1980.

-Saudi Arabia won successive titles in 1984 and 1988 but were beaten 1-0 by hosts Japan in the 1992 final. The Saudis then won the 1996 title on penalties against hosts UAE.

-Brazil's 1994 World Cup winning coach Carlos Alberto Perreira has won the tournament twice, with Kuwait in 1980 and Saudi Arabia in 1988, and is the only coach to win two titles. UAE coach Alberto Zaccheroni could match him in 2019 having led Japan to their 2011 triumph.

-Iran centre forward Ali Daei holds the record for most goals in the tournament, scoring eight times in 1996, four of which were in the 6-2 demolition of South Korea in the quarter-finals. Daei also holds the career record of 14 goals.

-The tournament was held on a four-yearly basis until 2004, when the AFC decided to change the timing to avoid clashing with the Summer Olympics and the European Championships.

-The next tournament was jointly hosted by Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2007 - the only time hosting rights were granted to more than one country. It was later called a 'mistake' by then AFC president Mohammed Bin Hammam.

-Australia became part of the Asian Confederation after the 2006 World Cup and won the title on home soil in 2015.

-The tournament was expanded from 16 to 24 teams for the 2019 edition. Kyrgyzstan, Philippines and Yemen will make their Asian Cup debuts in the UAE.

-The United Arab Emirates will be hosting the tournament for the second time after edging out Iran in the bidding. They were runners-up on home soil in 1996.

-Eight stadiums will host matches: Zayed Sports City Stadium, Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium and Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium and Al-Maktoum Stadium in Dubai, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium and Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain as well as Sharjah Stadium.

-The Zayed Sports City Stadium, which was built in 1980 and has a capacity of 45,000, will host eight matches, including the opener on Jan. 5 between the hosts and Bahrain and the final on Feb. 1.

-The winners of the tournament will represent Asia in the 2021 Confederations Cup.

The 17th Asian Cup tournament, to be held in the United Arab Emirates from January 5 to February 1. Here is all you need to know about the tournament: -The Asian Cup is the pre-eminent football tournament in the vast continent, although it had inauspicious beginnings in 1956 when four teams played a round-robin tournament in Hong Kong, two years after the Asian Football Confederation was formed.

The 17th Asian Cup tournament, to be held in the United Arab Emirates from January 5 to February 1. Here is all you need to know about the tournament: -The Asian Cup is the pre-eminent football tournament in the vast continent, although it had inauspicious beginnings in 1956 when four teams played a round-robin tournament in Hong Kong, two years after the Asian Football Confederation was formed. -Hong Kong's Chang Chi Kong scored the competition's first goal in front of 30,000 spectators against Israel, who won the game 3-2. South Korea went on to win the title ahead of Israel with the hosts third and South Vietnam fourth. -It is the second oldest continental football tournament in the world behind South America's Copa America, which began in 1916. -The tournament has been dominated by the traditional powerhouses of Asian football with Japan having won the most titles - their fourth coming in a 1-0 victory over Australia in 2011. -Israel won the title in 1964 and finished third in 1968 but did not take part in Asian competition after 1974 due to political issues with Arab nations. It moved to UEFA in 1994. -South Korea won the first two tournaments and were losing finalists in 2015. -Iran won three successive titles from 1968-1976 - their only victories in the competition - and are still the only side to win three successive tournaments. They finished third in 1980. -Saudi Arabia won successive titles in 1984 and 1988 but were beaten 1-0 by hosts Japan in the 1992 final. The Saudis then won the 1996 title on penalties against hosts UAE. -Brazil's 1994 World Cup winning coach Carlos Alberto Perreira has won the tournament twice, with Kuwait in 1980 and Saudi Arabia in 1988, and is the only coach to win two titles. UAE coach Alberto Zaccheroni could match him in 2019 having led Japan to their 2011 triumph. -Iran centre forward Ali Daei holds the record for most goals in the tournament, scoring eight times in 1996, four of which were in the 6-2 demolition of South Korea in the quarter-finals. Daei also holds the career record of 14 goals. -The tournament was held on a four-yearly basis until 2004, when the AFC decided to change the timing to avoid clashing with the Summer Olympics and the European Championships. -The next tournament was jointly hosted by Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2007 - the only time hosting rights were granted to more than one country. It was later called a 'mistake' by then AFC president Mohammed Bin Hammam. -Australia became part of the Asian Confederation after the 2006 World Cup and won the title on home soil in 2015. -The tournament was expanded from 16 to 24 teams for the 2019 edition. Kyrgyzstan, Philippines and Yemen will make their Asian Cup debuts in the UAE. -The United Arab Emirates will be hosting the tournament for the second time after edging out Iran in the bidding. They were runners-up on home soil in 1996. -Eight stadiums will host matches: Zayed Sports City Stadium, Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium and Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium and Al-Maktoum Stadium in Dubai, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium and Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain as well as Sharjah Stadium. -The Zayed Sports City Stadium, which was built in 1980 and has a capacity of 45,000, will host eight matches, including the opener on Jan. 5 between the hosts and Bahrain and the final on Feb. 1. -The winners of the tournament will represent Asia in the 2021 Confederations Cup.

All you need to know about Asian Cup 2019

Asian&nbsp;Football&nbsp;Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa warned against a return to "turmoil and instability" on Wednesday as he launched his bid to retain his position at the helm of the continent's governing body.

Sheikh Salman, who is seeking a third term in office, was first elected AFC president in 2013 to complete the term of disgraced former president Mohammed bin Hammam.

Bin Hammam was banned for life by FIFA, the game's governing body, in 2011 and the AFC was led by interim president Zhang Jilong until Sheikh Salman's successful election.

The Bahraini was reelected to his post in 2015 and is seeking another term in office when the confederation's elections are held on April 6 next year.

"We all remember only too well the problems of the past, that period of turmoil and instability," he told the AFC Congress on Wednesday.

"No one wants to return to that image of the AFC and I'm determined we shall not. We also need to protect the AFC and the member associations from unwanted third-party interference.

"That will not only damage the game, but also drag the organisation and member associations down. My colleagues on the executive committee and I will defend AFC and our member associations."

Sheikh Salman's hopes of retaining his position were boosted when the Congress passed an amendment to rules governing the election process allowing candidates to be nominated by member associations other than their home federation.

Former Saudi Arabia&nbsp;Football&nbsp;Federation President Adel Ezzat publicly stated his intention to stand against Sheikh Salman last year. However, his hopes of building a power base suffered a blow on Tuesday when members of the South Asian&nbsp;Football&nbsp;Federation withdrew from the Saudi-created South West Asian&nbsp;Football&nbsp;Federation.

Sheikh Salman also pledged his support to the reelection campaign of Gianni Infantino, who defeated the Bahraini in the FIFA presidential election in 2015.

"We will be full supporting you to do your work at FIFA," he told Infantino.

"There is still a lot of work to do and you are the man to complete that task. You can count on us and you can count of Asia, Mr President."

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa warned against a return to "turmoil and instability" on Wednesday as he launched his bid to retain his position at the helm of the continent's governing body.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa warned against a return to "turmoil and instability" on Wednesday as he launched his bid to retain his position at the helm of the continent's governing body. Sheikh Salman, who is seeking a third term in office, was first elected AFC president in 2013 to complete the term of disgraced former president Mohammed bin Hammam. Bin Hammam was banned for life by FIFA, the game's governing body, in 2011 and the AFC was led by interim president Zhang Jilong until Sheikh Salman's successful election. The Bahraini was reelected to his post in 2015 and is seeking another term in office when the confederation's elections are held on April 6 next year. "We all remember only too well the problems of the past, that period of turmoil and instability," he told the AFC Congress on Wednesday. "No one wants to return to that image of the AFC and I'm determined we shall not. We also need to protect the AFC and the member associations from unwanted third-party interference. "That will not only damage the game, but also drag the organisation and member associations down. My colleagues on the executive committee and I will defend AFC and our member associations." Sheikh Salman's hopes of retaining his position were boosted when the Congress passed an amendment to rules governing the election process allowing candidates to be nominated by member associations other than their home federation. Former Saudi Arabia Football Federation President Adel Ezzat publicly stated his intention to stand against Sheikh Salman last year. However, his hopes of building a power base suffered a blow on Tuesday when members of the South Asian Football Federation withdrew from the Saudi-created South West Asian Football Federation. Sheikh Salman also pledged his support to the reelection campaign of Gianni Infantino, who defeated the Bahraini in the FIFA presidential election in 2015. "We will be full supporting you to do your work at FIFA," he told Infantino. "There is still a lot of work to do and you are the man to complete that task. You can count on us and you can count of Asia, Mr President."

AFC must avoid return to 'turmoil and instability': Sheikh Salman

Hong&nbsp;Kong&#39;s Chan Yuen-ting will smash another hole through football&#39;s glass ceiling when she makes history in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday -- but it couldn&#39;t be a tougher debut for the trailblazing female coach.

Chan, nicknamed &quot;Beef Ball&quot; and just 28 years old, will etch her name in the record books as the first woman worldwide to lead a professional men&#39;s team into continental competition, at the helm of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&#39;s Eastern.

The game is not far from&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong, in southern mainland China -- but it is against Guangzhou Evergrande, the mega-rich &quot;Manchester United of Asia&quot; with two Champions League titles and six straight domestic trophies to their name.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>On the pitch I forget my gender as a woman. I just hope to show my abilities</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=On the pitch I forget my gender as a woman. I just hope to show my abilities" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

But for Chan, who last year became the first female coach to win a top-flight men&#39;s league, it will be an honour to face Evergrande and their World Cup-winning manager, Brazil&#39;s Luiz Felipe Scolari.

&quot;I never imagined or expected this could happen but now we&#39;re going to play against him so I feel excited and I&#39;m looking forward to meeting him,&quot; she told the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website.

&quot;All I need to do is focus on our team and concentrate on the work that we are doing.&quot;

Chan&#39;s ground-breaking 2016&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;title with Eastern made headlines around the globe, and earned her the AFC&#39;s coach of the year award and a place in a BBC list of the world&#39;s 100 most influential women.

Eastern then became&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&#39;s first club to be handed an automatic berth in the Champions League group stage, thanks to the recent performances of the city&#39;s teams in AFC competitions.

Chan said Eastern would concentrate on defending on Wednesday -- understandably, against a team which can call on the Brazilian firepower of Paulinho, Ricardo Goulart and Alan.

&#39;I forget my gender&#39;&nbsp;

&quot;We need to focus on defence, and especially our discipline and attitude during the match,&quot; Chan said.

&quot;At this moment I don&#39;t want to create extra pressure for myself and my players so we just want to do our best and try to go as far as we can.&quot;

Chan, whose nickname &quot;Beef Ball&quot; refers to her competitive spirit and is often chanted by Eastern&#39;s fans, first caught the football bug when she was 13 and had a crush on David Beckham.

She followed Manchester United games on TV and her passion eventually led her into coaching, despite opposition from her parents.&nbsp;

&quot;On the pitch I forget my gender as a woman. I just hope to show my abilities,&quot; Chan told AFP last year.&nbsp;&quot;I think no matter your age or your gender, what you need is hard work.&quot;

Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;Football Association chief executive Mark Sutcliffe said Chan had become a shining light for women involved in sport across the world.

&quot;We are proud that&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;has provided an opportunity for a female coach to operate at the highest level,&quot; Sutcliffe told AFP.

&quot;I am sure she will act as an inspiration for women in sport across the world,&quot; he said, adding: &quot;(But) let&#39;s not kid ourselves - it&#39;s going to be very, very tough.&quot;&nbsp;

Evergrande will be gunning for their third Champions League title in five years, and as an added incentive real-estate billionaire club chairman Hui Kayan has offered a 300 million yuan ($43.68 million) bonus per win in the tournament.

But whatever the result on Wednesday, the debut of Chan and Eastern will remain a significant moment for women in football, and for the sport in Asia.

&quot;It is a ground-breaking moment for football in Asia, for the women&#39;s game and for the global game,&quot; said AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

&quot;The world will be watching.&quot;

(AFP)

On Wednesday, Chan Yuen-ting will lead Hong Kong's Eastern against China's Guangzhou Evergrande in the AFC championship

Hong Kong's Chan Yuen-ting will smash another hole through football's glass ceiling when she makes history in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday -- but it couldn't be a tougher debut for the trailblazing female coach. Chan, nicknamed "Beef Ball" and just 28 years old, will etch her name in the record books as the first woman worldwide to lead a professional men's team into continental competition, at the helm of Hong Kong's Eastern. The game is not far from Hong Kong, in southern mainland China -- but it is against Guangzhou Evergrande, the mega-rich "Manchester United of Asia" with two Champions League titles and six straight domestic trophies to their name. On the pitch I forget my gender as a woman. I just hope to show my abilities × But for Chan, who last year became the first female coach to win a top-flight men's league, it will be an honour to face Evergrande and their World Cup-winning manager, Brazil's Luiz Felipe Scolari. "I never imagined or expected this could happen but now we're going to play against him so I feel excited and I'm looking forward to meeting him," she told the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website. "All I need to do is focus on our team and concentrate on the work that we are doing." Chan's ground-breaking 2016 Hong Kong title with Eastern made headlines around the globe, and earned her the AFC's coach of the year award and a place in a BBC list of the world's 100 most influential women. Eastern then became Hong Kong's first club to be handed an automatic berth in the Champions League group stage, thanks to the recent performances of the city's teams in AFC competitions. Chan said Eastern would concentrate on defending on Wednesday -- understandably, against a team which can call on the Brazilian firepower of Paulinho, Ricardo Goulart and Alan. 'I forget my gender' "We need to focus on defence, and especially our discipline and attitude during the match," Chan said. "At this moment I don't want to create extra pressure for myself and my players so we just want to do our best and try to go as far as we can." Chan, whose nickname "Beef Ball" refers to her competitive spirit and is often chanted by Eastern's fans, first caught the football bug when she was 13 and had a crush on David Beckham. She followed Manchester United games on TV and her passion eventually led her into coaching, despite opposition from her parents. "On the pitch I forget my gender as a woman. I just hope to show my abilities," Chan told AFP last year. "I think no matter your age or your gender, what you need is hard work." Hong Kong Football Association chief executive Mark Sutcliffe said Chan had become a shining light for women involved in sport across the world. "We are proud that Hong Kong has provided an opportunity for a female coach to operate at the highest level," Sutcliffe told AFP. "I am sure she will act as an inspiration for women in sport across the world," he said, adding: "(But) let's not kid ourselves - it's going to be very, very tough." Evergrande will be gunning for their third Champions League title in five years, and as an added incentive real-estate billionaire club chairman Hui Kayan has offered a 300 million yuan ($43.68 million) bonus per win in the tournament. But whatever the result on Wednesday, the debut of Chan and Eastern will remain a significant moment for women in football, and for the sport in Asia. "It is a ground-breaking moment for football in Asia, for the women's game and for the global game," said AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa. "The world will be watching." (AFP)

Football: First woman coach of men's team in a continental championship

Afc, News on Afc, stories on Afc, articles on Afc, Afc stories at Wion, Afc news, Afc latest news