Daegu sink Sailors to advance in ACL
BURIRAM: Daegu FC came from a goal down to beat Lion City Sailors FC 2-1 in Group F of the AFC Champions League on Saturday as the side from Korea Republic booked their place in the Round of 16.
Both Lee Keun-ho and Zeca scored in second half, ater Song Ui-young had opened the scoring for the Sailors in the 26th minute, to secure the three points. The result meant Daegu overtook Urawa Red Diamonds at the top of the standings on the head-to-head criteria, with both teams advancing to the knockout stage.
As expected, both teams fielded their strongest possible lineups, with Sailors head coach Kim Dohoon bringing back the starting-11 that had beaten Daegu 3-0 on Matchday Two, with defender Nur Adam the only new addition.
Daegu,meanwhile,startedwiththesidethathad edged Urawa Red Diamonds 1-0 a week ago, with let-winger Hong Chul returning from suspension.
Jo Jin-woo could have opened the scoring for Daegu early, first heading Bruno Lamas’ free-kick wide in the seventh minute, before doing so again from a corner set-piece eight minutes later.
Akin to their first encounter, the Sailors’ best chances came from counter-atacks, and Song Ui-young had a great opportunity in the 17th minute when he neatly collected Maxime Lestienne’s cross in the area, only for Hong Chul to bodyblock the effort.
Daegu’s defence was under pressure again from a similar move in the 26th minute, forcing captain Kim Jin-hyuk to hastily clear, but the stray ball found a surging Song who then released a thunderous strike from 20 yards out to hand Sailors the lead into the half-time break.
The intense action resumed almost immediately in the second half with keeper Oh saving Lestinne’s tame effort, before Daegu’s Zeca threatened from distance on the other end just moments later.
Daegu head coach Alexandre Gama had sent on fresh legs at the start of the second period, and Lee Keun-ho delivered in style just nine minutes later when Hong Chul whipped in a cross that flashed across the face of goal, which let the substitute with the final task of heading home from close range. A heavy downpour forced the match to be halted in the 76th minute with action only resuming an hour later.
Daegu resumed the stronger of the two and disaster struck the Sailors in the 79th minute when Amirul Adli fouled Jin-hyuk in the box, and Zeca made no mistake in converting the spot-kick to put the Korea Republic side in front and it was a lead they held on to clinch their spot in the Round of 16.
Meanwhile, Melbourne City collected the three points but fell short of the five-goal margin that would have secured their place in the AFC Champions League knockout stage, winning 3-0 over last-placed United City as Group G concluded on Saturday.
The A-league side took their points tally to 12 thanks to goals from Raphael Borges Rodrigues, Jamie Maclaren, and Marco Tilio, but they must now wait for tomorrow’s results to see if they will advance as one of the top three runners-up in the East Zone, while Thailand’s BG Pathum United were confirmed as group winners on goal difference.
The number five was on everyone’s lips before kick-off, with BG Pathum United’s scoreless draw against Jeonnam Dragons giving Melbourne City the opportunity to win the group with a victory by five or more goals against Group G’s botom placed side.
United City’s post was ratled with seven minutes following a touch from their defender Alan Robertson, and goalkeeper Anthony Pinthus got down impressively to deny Tilio but it took until the 22nd minute for the Australians to open the scoring through Rodrigues, who had simple task of tapping home Stefan Colakovski’s low cross ater the winger found himself in acres of space down the right hand side.