Esteghlal Tehran thrown out of Asian Champions League

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Reuters) Iran's Esteghlal Tehran have been thrown out of the Asian Champions League for failing to register their players in time.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said in a news release today the club had failed to submit a preliminary squad list by the governing body's Feb. 11 deadline.

''In this situation the team will be deemed to have lost all their matches 3-0,'' said the AFC.

Group B will now comprise Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan), Kuwait Sports Club and Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia).

Last year, Thailand's Provincial Electricity Authority and Tobacco Monopoly plus Arema Malang and Persipura Jayapura of Indonesia were thrown out for similar infractions.

Reuters KR DB2317