Zheng Zhi shortlisted of 2012 AFC Player of Year

Chinese national football team skipper Zheng Zhi is among the final three nominees of the 2012 AFC Player of the Year award. The 32-year-old captain made the final list for "a series of impressive displays" as Guangzhou Evergrande reached the quarterfinals of this year's AFC Champions League (ACL) competition on their continental debut, the Asian Football Confederation said on its website on Friday. "The versatile defensive midfielder was also appointed as a campaign ambassador of AFC's 'Asian Football Against Hunger' campaign during the knockout stages of the ACL 2012," it said. The other two nominees are South Korean Lee Keun-ho and 2004 AFC Player of the Year Ali Karimi from Iran. Australian defender Lucas Neill and Iranian defender Mohsen Bengar, who were among the nominees announced earlier, have failed to make the final list. Although Guangzhou Evergrande made a breakthrough for Chinese football clubs in the AFC Champions League, while winning both the league title and FA Cup in China, Zheng Zhi remained a long shot for the award, as the Chinese national team failed to qualify for the final round of Asian qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Lee Keun-ho, who played a key role in helping the Ulsan Hyundai claim the ACL champion and named the Most Valuable Player' of the competition, is considered as the leading contender for the award. Meanwhie, The former Bayern Munich midfielder Karimi will have another chance to win the award after 2004. The winner will be unveiled at the AFC Annual Awards gala to be held in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 29.