Pohang Steelers locked for Champions League knockout stage with fourth-straight win

Football

Published: 09 Nov. 2023, 15:48 Updated: 09 Nov. 2023, 17:20

Pohang Steelers locked for Champions League knockout stage with fourth-straight win

The Pohang Steelers' Kim In-sung celebrates after scoring a goal during an AFC Champions League match against the Urawa Red Diamonds at Pohang Steelyard in Pohang, North Gyeongsang on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

The Pohang Steelers were the only K League side to rejoice in the AFC Champions League this week, as the club grabbed a thrilling 2-1 win against the Urawa Red Diamonds on Wednesday to book a direct ticket to the knockout stage, while three other K League teams all suffered losses.

K League suffers tough night in Champions League with two losses

The Steelers extended their winning streak in the 2023-24 AFC Champions League group stage to four games with Wednesday’s victory, making the Pohang side the only unbeaten K League team in the competition.

A Steelers victory against the Red Diamonds of Japan seemed unlikely until stoppage time in the second half at Pohang Steelyard in Pohang, North Gyeongsang.

The Pohang side were down 1-0 at the end of the first half after conceding a goal to Jose Kante in the 36th minute.

Zeca’s equalizer from a penalty in the 66th minute and red card for Diamonds' Takahiro Sekine in the 71st minute for a heavy tackle on Goh Young-jun raised the Steelers’ hopes for a win.

The much-needed winner came with Kim In-sung tapping in the ball in the 94th minute, which sealed the Steelers’ 2-1 victory and a spot in the round of 16 with two more games left to play in Group J.

Wednesday’s win against the Red Diamonds was also the second time the Steelers had beaten the Japanese side in this year’s group stage, having managed a 2-0 win last month.

The Steelers’ successful run in the Champions League is no surprise, considering they have been one of the strongest competitors in Korea.

The Pohang side won the Korean FA Cup for the first time in a decade on Saturday and sit in second place on the K League table as of Thursday.

Things looked different for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, who lost 2-0 to the Lion City Sailors of Singapore at Jalan Besar Stadium in Kallang on Wednesday.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' Jeong Tae-wook, center, in action during an AFC Champions League match against the Lion City Sailors at Jalan Besar Stadium in Kallang, Singapore on Wednesday. [AFC]

The nine-time K League champions were unable to make serious moves during the match due to a lack of cohesion.

Despite having over 70 percent of ball possession through the end of the first half, Jeonbuk failed to create solid chances and conceded a goal to Richairo Zivkovic in the 23th minute, before he struck again in the 55th minute.

Jeonbuk's lackluster performance continued after Zivkovic’s second goal, as Gustavo Sousa even missed a penalty in the 90th minute.

Jeonbuk still sit in second place in Group F with six points, tying the Sailors but edging them out by goal difference. Jeonbuk still has a chance of reaching the knockout stage, as 10 group winners and three best runners-up from each region — East Asia and West Asia — reach the round of 16.

The other two K League teams competing in the Champions League, Ulsan Hyundai and Incheon United, also need to bounce back in the remaining two group stage matches to reach the knockout stage.

Ulsan sit in second place in Group I after Tuesday’s loss to Johor Darul Ta'zim, and Incheon are in third place in Group G with a loss to Shandong Taishan on the same day.

The K League teams will be back in Champions League action at the end of the month, with Ulsan facing facing BG Pathum United in Thailand on Nov. 28 and Incheon playing Yokohama F. Marinos on the same day at home.

Jeonbuk will then take on Kitchee SC in Hong Kong the following day while the Steelers play Hanoi FC, again in Pohang.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]