Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Melbourne: Melbourne Victory and Ulsan Hyundai shared the points in an entertaining 3-3 draw in their opening Group F match of the 2018 AFC Champions League on Tuesday.
Ulsan started slowly at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium but it was they who took the lead through a wonderful free-kick from Mislav Orsic, whose dipping effort caught out Victory goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas.
But no sooner had they conceded than the Australians were back level after Kim Yong-dae could only parry Besart Berisha’s shot into the path of Dutchman Leroy George, who tapped home from close range.
Austrian defender Richard Windbichler headed home on 34 minutes to put the visitors ahead, but the A-League side once again hit back straight away when George smashed home a right-footed effort inside the box.
Just six minutes into the second half Orsic secured a brace with a wonderful curling effort from outside the box, but remarkably Kevin Muscat’s men once again hit back within three minutes as Rhys Williams was left unmarked from a set piece and ghosted in at the back post to head home and draw the home side level.
Both Muscat and Kim Do-hoon made attacking substitutions in search of a winner, but it was to no avail as the match ended with the scores locked at 3-3. Victory must now travel to China PR to face Shanghai SIPG, while Ulsan return home to face J.League champions Kawasaki Frontale.