There are more than just bragging rights on offer as Isuzu UTE A-League rivals Macarthur FC and Central Coast Mariners prepare to meet in the AFC Cup ASEAN Zonal Final this Thursday night. Not only will the victor move a step closer to lifting the continental trophy, but they will pocket USD $100,000 (AUD ~$153,000) just for winning Thursday night’s all-Australian AFC showdown in Campbelltown – a first for the A-Leagues in 17 years competing in Asia.
But that’s only a tiny slice of the total prize money on offer in this season’s AFC Cup. The champions will pocket USD $1.5 million (AUD $2.3million), with the runners-up collecting USD $750,000 (AUD $1.14m).
Before that, Macarthur or Central Coast must navigate their Zonal Finals battle this week with the winner of the one-off game moving on to play India’s Odisha – winner of the South Zone in the Inter Zone Semi-Final. Taichung Futuro FC and FC Abdysh-Ata of Kyrgyzstan are facing off in the other Inter Zone Semi-Final. ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE R17 TALKING POINTS: Popa v journo in tense standoff after Arzani question The winners of the Inter Zone Semi-Finals will then face off in a two-legged Inter Zone Final.
Finally,, the winner across those two legs will progress to face the winner of the West Zone Final in a showpiece event on May 5 to crown the AFC Cup champions. And in the event Macarthur or Central Coast win the AFC Cup, they will receive an indirect slot into the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite via the preliminary rounds.
Macarthur FC
In 2023–2024, Campbelltown will host AFC football. Macarthur will experience their first taste of Asian continental competition after winning the 2022 Australia Cup.
On the Asian scene, the Bulls have only gotten better, setting a competition high with 23 goals in Group F.
Macarthur, led by Ulises Davila, the captain, and Valere Germain, a former star of Monaco and Marseille, won five of their six group-stage games to easily advance to the knockout stages.
The Bulls, who are presently third in the Isuzu UTE A-League, have scored three goals or more in each of their first seven AFC Cup games.
Central Coast Mariners
After losing to Guangzhou R&F in an AFC Champions League play-off in 2015, Central Coast made their way back to Asian club competition, and the Mariners have hardly missed a beat their route to the Zonal Final.
The Mariners, who are second in the league, won four of their six Group G games to take the lead in the standings despite their turbulent off-season and their Isuzu UTE A-League title defence. They lost their first game of the season.
Thanks to victories over Stallion Laguna (9-1) and Bali United (6-3) as well as an eight goals from Marco Tulio, who has since left for Japan, Central Coast scored 21 goals, the second most of the group stage.
The Mariners defeated Phnom Penh Crown 4-0, led by a hat-trick by Ryan Edmondson, to secure a date with Macarthur.
