Grampus eliminated, Saudi clubs set for semi clash
JEONJU: Nagoya Grampus lost 3-0 to South Korea’s Pohang Steelers in the Asian Champions League quarter-finals on Sunday, becoming the last Japanese club to exit the tournament.
Grampus were aiming to reach the ACL semi-finals for the first time since 2009, but their campaign ended in disappointment against an outfit they had beaten by the same margin and drawn against in the group stage.
The J-League side wasted two great opportunities in the first half before their performance dramatically dipped in the second at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in South Korea. They were eventually overrun by their opponents, who made the most of their chances.
Nagoya forward Jakub Swierczok failed to convert the first big chance of the game in the 31st minute, blazing over from the penalty spot after receiving a Ryoya Morishita pass unmarked.
The Polish Euro 2020 player let another chance go begging two minutes later on a counter. After being played through by winger Mateus, Swierczok’s weak effort was cleared off the line by Pohang midfielder Kang Sang Woo, with a follow-up attempt by Sho Inagaki also kept out by keeper Lee Jun.
The visitors paid for their misses when Lim Sang-Hyub handed Pohang the lead in the 53rd minute, tapping in a loose ball from a corner.
Lee Seung Mo doubled the advantage in the 70th minute, Nagoya defender Kim Min-Tae failing to deal with a long ball before the Pohang forward buried a half volley.
Substitute Yuki Soma finally took Nagoya’s first shot of the second half in stoppage time but was denied before Lim curled in Pohang’s third in the last action of the game.
Defending champions Ulsan Hyundai were to take on fellow South Koreans Jeonbuk Motors in the other quarter-final match-up for clubs in the east of the continent.
BITTER FOES
Meanwhile Al Nassr and Al Hilal set up an all-Saudi Arabian semi-final in the Asian Champions League on Saturday as wins over Al Wahda and Persepolis respectively took the Riyadh-based duo into the competition’s last four.
The clubs, bitter rivals at domestic level, will face off tomorrow for a place in the final of the continental championship, with Al Hilal looking for their second title in three seasons.
Leonardo Jardim’s team brushed aside a Persepolis side that had been losing finalists in 2018 and 2020, but the Iranians had no answer for the 2019 champions losing 3-0.
Salem Al Dawsari gave Al Hilal the lead in the 27th minute before a Bafetimbi Gomis double in the second half put the result beyond doubt.
Earlier in the evening Al Nassr booked their place in the final with a 5-1 dismantling of Al Wahda from the United Arab Emirates, with Uzbekistan international Jaloliddin Masharipov scoring twice.
The final will be played in Saudi Arabia on Nov 23.