SEA teams outperform Korean clubs in Asian Champions League
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Lion City Sailors set the tone as clubs from Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia combined to give Southeast Asia their best day in the continental championship with group stage victories against South Korean rivals.
South Korea’s K-League is the most successful in the Asian Champions League with 12 titles, but Daegu FC became the first in the league to lose to Singaporean opposition, losing 3-0 to Lion City in Group F on Monday.
“Tonight will long be remembered as a historic night,” said Korean Lion City coach Kim Do-hoon, who orchestrated a Singaporean club’s first win in the Asian Champions League since 2010. Song Ui -young, Diego Lopes and Pedrao scored goals. for sailors.
“The key was for my players to have confidence in their abilities,” Kim said. “We expected it to be difficult. What I had in mind was not to concede too much and see how the game goes, but my boys gave it their all on the pitch and performed according to how we prepared.
Kim coached Ulsan Hyundai to their second Asian title of 2020. The Korean club’s chances of winning a third title dwindled after a 2-1 loss to Malaysia’s Johor Darul Tazim in Group I.
Jeonnam Dragons lost 2-0 to Thailand’s BG Pathum United in Group G to cap off a day to forget for South Korean clubs in the second round of group stage matches.
Chinese clubs are not faring any better. Guangzhou FC and Shandong Taishan have both sent youth teams to the tournament as the group stage, which takes place at centralized venues in the second half of April, clashes at the start of the Super League season Chinese.
Shandong followed up their 7-0 loss to Daegu on Matchday 1 by losing 5-0 to Japan’s Urawa Reds. Guangzhou, champions in 2013 and 2015, lost 5-0 to Johor and 8-0 to Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale.
Australia’s hopes of having a representative in the Round of 16 for the first time since 2016 have improved with Melbourne City moving to the top of Group G with a 3-0 win over United City of the Philippines. Stefan Colakovski scored in the first half and Marco Tilio netted twice after the break.
Saudi clubs dominate in the western zone of a tournament divided into geographical halves, with three of the country’s four teams, including deafening champions Al-Hilal, topping their groups.
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