Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sydney: Milos Ninkovic scored the only goal at the start of the second half as Australia’s Sydney FC moved within touching distance of a place in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League for the first time after edging out Korea Republic’s Pohang Steelers 1-0 on Tuesday.
Ninkovic’s calm finish six minutes into the second half at Sydney Football Stadium handed Sydney a third consecutive win in Group H.
And Graham Arnold’s Sydney will head into the final two games of the group stage at the top of the table and on course to qualify for the knockout stage for the first time in three attempts.
“It was a difficult surface to play on and I thought we adapted very well to play on it,” said Sydney coach Arnold. “There was very good discipline and effort and we played very well to the structures and game plan overall.
“They started the game with a back five, 5-4-1, and didn’t give us much space at all. I think they thought we were going to play a 4-4-2 like we did over there. Once they saw Ninkovic get a bit of room, they pushed their number six into midfield to pick him up and change their system which gave us a little bit more space.
“I’m just so happy for the players. They’ve worked so hard and they’ve done their best every week and they haven’t been rewarded and tonight’s a reward for them, but we’re not there yet. I want us to finish on the top of the group, it gives us a better option. FC Seoul are a very good side and Shandong are in second spot, they would suit us better. It’s a reward for the fans, they’ve stuck by us through thick and thin.”
Sydney opened the encounter on the front foot, but were unable to exert on pressure on Pohang goalkeeper Kim Jin-young, who was well protected by a back five led by captain Kim Won-il.
Sydney did eventually create an opening, but unfortunately for Ali Abbas, it was his own goalkeeper who he worried as his attempted back pass from 40 yards came close to beating Vedran Janjetovic.
Pohang, though, started to gain a foothold in midfield which led to their first sight on goal through Kang Sang-woo, when the left winger cut inside from his wide berth only for his right footed shot to lack power and placement.
Pohang’s next effort was far more dangerous for the home side as Park Jun-hui’s long range effort had Sydney goalkeeper Janjetovic scrambling.
But after Pohang’s brief spell, Sydney ended the half with a flurry of chances as Andrew Hoole saw his inviting low cross cleared by Kim Won-il before the visiting captain was again called into action moments later to block a towering header from Matt Jurman.
And just before half-time, David Carney should have given the hosts the lead after Ninkovic’s sublime cross parted the defence, but the experienced winger failed to get his lob on target.
Sydney, though, continued the second half on the front foot and deservedly took the lead through Ninkovic as the Serbian slid home a fine finish after intricate build up play from Hoole and Brandon O’Neill.
But despite falling behind, Pohang were still hesitant to push numbers forward, and Sydney were able to deal with any attacking threat.
And Sydney could have sealed the win in the closing stages, but Matt Simon, Jurman and George Blackwood failed to find the net.
“We tried to do many things in the first half and we thought we carried out these plans with success. After that we missed concentration in defence and that is why we lost,” said Pohang coach Choi Jin-cheul.
“We prepared our methods and we did very well with these plans, but the long journey from Korea made our players tired. We can see the physical problem at the end of the second half.
“We will try to do our best for the next two games. It’s still a possibility to go through to the Round of 16.”
Photo: Lagardère Sports