Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Seongnam: AFC Champions League 2015 quarter-finalists Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors enjoyed a winning return to domestic duty on Sunday when they defeated former continental champions Seongnam FC 1-0 in their K League Classic Round 28 fixture.
The runaway Korean league leaders have been somewhat inconsistent recently which was compounded when they were held to a goalless draw by Gamba Osaka in the first leg of their last-eight clash with the Japanese treble winners last Wednesday.
However, a Lee Dong-gook strike a minute shy of the half-hour mark at the Seongnam Tancheon Sports Complex was enough for Jeonbuk to edge the 2010 AFC Champions League winners and pick up only their second victory in matches in all competitions.
Lee (pictured) played the full 90 minutes of Jeonbuk’s ACL quarter-final against Gamba but couldn’t add to the four goals he has scored so far in this years edition of Asia premier club competition leaving the tie tentatively poised ahead of the return fixture in Osaka on September 16.
Prior to the resumption of the continental quest Jeonbuk - ACL winners in 2006 and runners-up in 2011 - will play two K League Classic matches ahead of their trip to Japan for the second leg of their quarter-finals with 2008 continental champions Gamba.
Choi Kang-hee’s side, who are currently ten points clear of closest challengers Suwon FC at the top of the table, will face 2012 ACL champions Ulsan Hyundai away on September 9 before returning to the Jeonju World Cup Stadium for a September 12 meeting with FC Seoul, runners-up to Guangzhou Evergrande in the 2013 ACL final.
Photo: AFP