Asia's AFC Cup matches postponed over coronavirus

AFC Cup football matches involving teams from East Asia have been postponed until April over dely coronavirus, Asian Football Confederation said on Tuesday. two-month suspension comes after several countries imposed travel restrictions aimed at stopping outbreak, which has killed more than 1,000 people in China.

"Taking into consideration overall logistical arrangements as well as match preparations of East Zone participating clubs, AFC has decided that... AFC Cup 2020 (East Zone) preliminary, playoff and group st matches will be postponed and will recommence on April 7, 2020," an AFC statement said.

It ded that home and away games between Mongolia's Ulaanbaatar City and Taipower Company of Taiwan h alrey been postponed because of travel restrictions. Teams from Hong Kong and Macau are also among those affected by postponement in Asia's second-tier continental competition. AFC h earlier been forced to change dates of home games for Vietnamese clubs after Vietnam cancelled all sports events in February because of virus. top-tier AFC Champions League has also been disrupted by epidemic, with Chinese clubs mainly sidelined until April.