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Ulsan HD secure first ACLE win of the season with 2-1 comeback victory over Shanghai Shenhua

Published: 05 Dec. 2024, 12:48 Updated: 05 Dec. 2024, 16:59

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

Ulsan HD beat Shanghai Shenhua 2-1 in a 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite match at Shanghai Stadium on Wednesday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Ulsan HD secured their first win in the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) with a 2-1 comeback victory over Shanghai Shenhua on Wednesday, ending a five-game losing streak in the tournament.

Ulsan displayed sloppy defense at Shanghai Stadium, just as they had in previous tournament matches, conceding the opening goal when Andre Luis scored with a header in the 23rd minute.

The K League 1 champions' defense continued to look shaky, and goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo remained busy throughout the first half.

However, in the second half Yago Cariello stepped up in the 58th minute, converting a penalty, before Kang Min-woo scored a header from a corner to secure the win for Ulsan.

Wednesday’s victory gave Ulsan all three points for the first time in this year’s ACLE. The club had been on the worst run by any East Asian team in the league stage, with five straight losses.

Ulsan moved up to 11th place, escaping the bottom of the table with Wednesday’s win. They can still climb higher in the 12-team league stage table and book a spot in the round of 16 — where the top eight teams from East and West Asia compete — if they win their remaining two games and other teams drop more than five points.

Ulsan are one of the three K League 1 teams competing in this year’s tournament, alongside Gwangju FC and Pohang Steelers. Gwangju has had the best run by any K League 1 team, sitting in second place, while the Steelers are in fifth place as of Thursday.

Ulsan will return to ACLE action in a match against Thai team Buriram United on Feb. 12. The K League 1 champions will not have any games until then, as the 2024 K League 1 season ended last month.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]