4 Korean clubs hope to continue AFC success

Four Korean football clubs will return to action in the top continental competition this week, with a couple of them looking to stay at the top of their group.

When the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League resumes its group action today, Ulsan Hyundai FC will take an undefeated record of two wins and a draw into their Group H road meeting against Kawasaki Frontale at 7 p.m.

Ulsan is in first place in the group with seven points, three ahead of Shanghai SIPG.

Ulsan is coming off a tough week in which it lost to third-division outfit Daejeon Korail in the round of 32 at the Football Association (FA) Cup tomorrow and had its undefeated run in the K League 1 snapped at seven with a 1-0 loss to Seongnam FC on Saturday.

Ulsan blanked Kawasaki 1-0 in their previous meeting in Ulsan on April 10.

Also today, Daegu FC will host Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Group F action in Daegu, 300 kilometers (186 miles) southeast of Seoul, at 8 p.m.

In that group, Daegu, Hiroshima and Guangzhou Evergrande are all tied at six points apiece.

Guangzhou is in first place for now with a tiebreak edge in head-to-head points, followed by Daegu and then Hiroshima.

Hiroshima beat Daegu 2-0 in their previous meeting in Japan on April 10.

Tomorrow, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will look to extend its lead in Group G when it hosts Urawa Red Diamonds at 7 p.m. in Jeonju, North Jeolla, south of Seoul.

Jeonbuk has six points to lead Group G, two better than Urawa.

They previously met at Urawa’s home in Saitama, Japan, on April 9, when Jeonbuk came out on top 1-0.

Gyeongnam FC will visit Group E-leading Kashima Antlers at 7 p.m. tomorrow. Playing in their first AFC Champions League, Gyeongnam is still in search of its first victory, after two draws and a loss so far.

Yonhap