Taremi, Shomurodov, Kerr & Yoshida: Vote for your AFC International Player of the Week!

Mehdi Taremi signed off a sensational debut year with FC Porto with one final goal, Eldor Shomurodov and Sam Kerr finished their respective campaigns by finding the back of the net and a pair of Japanese wingers made crucial contributions for their clubs.

But who deserves to be the final AFC International Player of the Week for the 2020/21 season? As always, take your time to study our 10 nominees and vote for your favourite.

Mehdi Taremi (FC Porto, IR Iran)
64 minutes, 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 shot assists (4-0 Belenenses)

It was a fitting way to end an excellent season for Mehdi Taremi, who scored the opener and set up another as FC Porto eased to a 4-0 win, which sealed second place in Portugal’s Primeira Liga.

Taremi’s 16 league goals were good enough for third on the league scoring charts. The Iranian forward netted 23 in all competitions.

Eldor Shomurodov (Genoa CFC, Uzbekistan)
87 minutes, 1 goal, 3 shots at goal (1-0 v Cagliari)

It was also a happy ending for Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov who completed his maiden season in Italy’s Serie A with his eighth goal of the campaign for Genoa.

A one-time relegation candidate, Genoa easily survived the drop by finishing a creditable 11th, with Shomurodov producing a superb return of five goals in his last six matches.

Maya Yoshida (Sampdoria, Japan)
90 minutes, 97% pass accuracy, 71% duels won, 6 interceptions (3-0 v Parma)

Staying in Italy, where Sampdoria closed out their campaign in style, thanks in part to a commanding central defensive display from richly experienced Japanese international Maya Yoshida.

The former Southampton man completed all but one of his 38 passes and recovered the ball 10 times as Parma managed just one shot on target in the 90 minutes.

Lee Kang-in (Valencia, Korea Republic)
81 minutes, 87% pass accuracy, 7 successful dribbles, 16 duels won (0-0 v Huesca)

It wasn’t the most thrilling end to the season for Valencia fans, but Lee Kang-in turned in a terrific performance away to Huesca, creating the bulk of his side’s openings in a goalless draw.

Next up for Lee should be a place at the Tokyo Olympics, with the 20-year-old selected for Kim Hak-bum’s squad for a pair of friendlies against Ghana.

Ritsu Doan (Arminia Bielefeld, Japan)
90 minutes, 1 goal, 88% pass accuracy, 17 duels won (2-0 v VfB Stuttgart)

Last week it was Tekefusa Kubo who scored the goal which confirmed Getafe’s La Liga safety, but this week the spotlight fell on his countryman Ritsu Doan, who performed similar heroics for Arminia Bielefeld.

With his side leading 1-0 in a crucial clash against Stuttgart, Doan dribbled around two defenders before easing the ball home, helping Arminia safely finish two points above relegation playoff-bound FC Köln.

Jeong Woo-yeong (SC Freiburg, Korea Republic)
24 minutes, 1 goal, 74% pass accuracy (1-3 v Eintracht Frankfurt)

The final day of the Bundesliga campaign was also one to remember for Korea Republic’s Jeong Woo-yeong, who capped an explosive performance off the bench with an excellent goal.

Jeong will join Lee Kang-in in Korea Republic’s U23 squad in the coming weeks.

Sam Kerr (Chelsea FC, Australia)
90 minutes, 1 goal, 2 assists, 9 recoveries in opposition half (3-0 v Everton)

The previous week’s UEFA Women’s Champions League Final didn’t go to plan for her or her Chelsea teammates, but Sam Kerr ensured an otherwise triumphant season ended on the right note with a Player of the Match showing in the Women’s FA Cup.

Kerr’s goal made it 28 for the season in all competitions. The pandemic-interrupted FA Cup will carry into next season and be completed in December.

Clare Polkinghorne (Vittsjö GIK, Australia)
90 minutes, 88% pass accuracy, 80% defensive duels won, 8 interceptions (0-0 v Linköping)

Kerr’s international teammate and one-time joint Julie Dolan medal winner Clare Polkinghorne also earns a nomination after putting up several big numbers in the Swedish Damallsvenskan.

Australia’s defensive stalwart proved exceptionally difficult to beat as Vittsjö held flying Linköping to a goalless draw, Vittsjö have conceded only four goals in their opening six games.

Junya Ito (KRC Genk, Japan)
90 minutes, 1 assist, 87% pass accuracy, 6 successful dribbles (4-0 v Royal Antwerp)
59 minutes, 82% pass accuracy, 3 successful dribbles (2-1 v Club Brugge)

Cup winners KRC Genk sealed qualification for the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds, and only narrowly missed out on snatching the Belgian league title after a sensational finish which saw them claim 16 points from their final six matches,

At the heart of the run home was Japan’s Junya Ito, whose brilliant show of from continued in the final two matches, which included a win over champions Brugge.

Reza Asadi (SKN St. Pölten, IR Iran)
90 minutes, 89% pass accuracy, 93% duels won, 14 recoveries (0-1 v Hartberg)

It was a season to forget for Reza Asadi’s St. Pölten, who suffered relegation from the Austrian Bundesliga, but he ended it in style with a dominant defensive display against seventh-placed Hartberg.

The former FC Tractor man regained possession 14 times and won a staggering 93% of duels, making the most of his first league start for the club.