Professional soccer’s K League 1 Pohang Steelers moved closer to advancing to the round of 16 in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) with a win over defending champions Urawa Reds (Japan).Pohang won their 2023-2024 ACL Group J home match against Urawa Reds 2-1 on Monday at the Pohang Steel Yard after Kim In-sung scored a late winner in stoppage time to break a 1-1 tie. With their fourth straight win in the group stage, Pohang (12 points) secured the top spot in the group .If the next Group J match between Wuhan Sanjin (China – 4 points) and Hanoi FC (Vietnam – 0 points) ends in a draw or Hanoi wins, Pohang will advance to the round of 16 regardless of the outcome of the remaining matches .Pohang had the first chance of the match in the 29th minute when Lee Ho-jae’s header went just wide of the left side of the Urawa goal and Kim Jun-ho’s follow-up mid-range effort also went wide of the post. Urawa, who fought back strongly, struck first in the 36th minute.
Ekanit Panya picked up a ball that was played into Pohang’s left back area and passed it to the front of the penalty area, where Jose Kante caught the ball and slotted it into the right corner of Pohang’s goal with a left-footed shot .After finishing the first half 0-1, Pohang coach Kim Ki-dong took off Lee Ho-jae and Kim Jun-ho at the start of the second half and introduced Zeca and Lee Jong-woo to strengthen the attacking line .Pohang finally equalized on a penalty kick in the 21st minute of the second half, and it was Zeca who was the hero .In the 17th minute, Ko Young-joon’s cross from the left side of the penalty area deflected off Urawa defender Marius Hoivieten and into the net. The referee awarded Pohang a penalty kick after the video assistant referee (VAR) confirmed a handball foul by Hoivieten, and Zeca, who took the kick, scored the equalizer in the 21st minute of the second half .Pohang took advantage of its numerical advantage in the 25th minute when Urawa’s Takahiro Akimoto was shown a red card through VAR after a rough tackle on Ko Young-joon and was sent off. Pohang came from behind in stoppage time with the scent of a draw in the air, as Kim Seung-dae’s right flank cross hit the keeper’s hands and Kim In-sung slotted home a theatrical goal with his left foot In the fourth match of Group F at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, Jeonbuk Hyundai fell 0-2 to ‘underdogs’ Ryan City Sailors (Singapore).
Jeonbuk is tied with Ryan City on six points. Despite having the same head-to-head record, Jeonbuk maintains second place due to their superior goal difference .Jeonbuk unleashed a one-sided attack against a huddled Ryan City defense from the kickoff, but were unable to capitalize on their chances. After defending against Jeonbuk’s offense with a ‘payback’ tactic, Ryan City took the lead on a counterattack in the 23rd minute .A ball from the right flank of the midfield to the left side of the penalty area was played in by Shawal Anouar, who dropped the ball with a header, and the onrushing Richario Djivkovic scored with a right-footed non-stop shot from the front of the penalty area. Ryan City, who had just 22 percent of the ball in the first half, converted all three of their first-half shots on target, but Jeonbuk was outclassed in terms of finishing with just one shot on target in five attempts. After going into halftime 0-1, Jeonbuk wasted a golden opportunity in the first minute of the second half when Lee Dong-joon’s cross from the right side of the penalty area hit the left post of Ryan City’s goal. Jeonbuk’s hopes of raising their spirits were dashed when they conceded a second goal just 10 minutes into the second half. Coincidentally, it was the same combination that led to the first goal. On a counterattack, Ryan City made it a two-goal game when Zivkovic slotted home a ball from the front of the penalty area after Anouar had slipped it in. Jeonbuk had a chance to make amends in the 44th minute when they were awarded a penalty kick, but kicker Gustavo’s right-footed 무료슬롯게임 shot sailed over the crossbar.