Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Seongnam: Seongnam FC coach Kim Hak-bum paid tribute to his players after they defeated Buriram United 2-1 on Wednesday to secure a place in the Round of 16 in the AFC Champions League.
Seongnam may have been on top for most of the game at the Tancheon Stadium after a penalty from Kim Do-heon and a Nam Jae-joon header set them on course for victory but a late goal from Buriram's Brazilian striker Diogo ensured a nervous end to the game for the hosts.
The victory puts the Korea Republic team on top of Group F with ten points after five games, three ahead of their Thai rivals and Japan’s Gamba Osaka who enjoyed a comprehensive 5-0 win over China’s Guangzhou R&F in the group’s other Matchday Five tie.
However, due to their superior head-to-head record, regardless of the permutations in the final Matchday in a fortnight’s time, Seongnam will finish at least in the runners-up position.
Match Report: Seongnam FC 2-1 Buriram United
“This was a game we had to win and as we did so in front of our own fans thanks to the players,” said coach Kim.
“It has taken time for us to find our rhythm this season but we are improving as time passes.
“At the moment, we have to think about the K-League games coming up and then we will do our best to get a good result against Gamba Osaka.
“I believe that we will keep showing what we are made of until the end.”
Buriram's coach Alexandre Gama was, by contrast, frustrated with the performance of his players and the result they achieved. The Brazilian must now help his side to victory at home to Guangzhou in the final game to keep their hopes of the knockout stage alive.
“We didn't perform to our best. After Seongnam scored the first goal, we lost a lot of confidence and before we knew it, we were two goals down and not really in the game. I expected more organised play after the break but we still lost 2-1," said coach Gama.
“It is true that we are in a difficult situation but we will focus on winning at home and getting through to the second round.”
Photo: WSG