Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Seoul: Former finalists FC Seoul eased into a third consecutive appearance in the group stage of the AFC Champions League after the K League Classic side recorded a thumping 7-0 win over Vietnam’s Hanoi T&T in Tuesday’s play-off.
Yun Il-lok, a deflected overhead kick from Brazilian Everton Santos (pictured), Jung Jo-gook and Sergio Escudero set FC Seoul on their way in the first half at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Jung, Lee Seok-hyun and captain Koh Myong-jin increased the lead in the second half as FC Seoul secured their place in Group H alongside defending champions Western Sydney Wanderers from Australia, 2013 winners Guangzhou Evergrande from China and Japan’s Kashima Antlers having followed up their 2013 final appearance with a run to the semi-finals last year.
And having lost the 2013 final on away goals to Chinese champions Guangzhou, FC Seoul will travel to Tianhe Sports Center Stadium next Wednesday for their Group H opener.
FC Seoul, playing their first game of the year with the K League Classic not starting until March 8, against a Hanoi side who beat Indonesia’s Persib Bandung 4-0 in last week’s second preliminary round, started on the front foot.
And despite their lack of match practice, FC Seoul took the lead after just 14 minutes as the ball broke for Yun from a crowd on the edge of the penalty area with Hanoi unable to clear the danger and the midfielder produced a composed finish low past goalkeeper Nguyen Van Cong.
FC Seoul continued to dominate and doubled their lead just six minute later as Hanoi were again unable to clear the ball out of their penalty area and Everton Santos’ acrobatic overhead kick deflected off the shoulder of centre-back Daneil Cyrus and looped over Van Cong.
And a third arrived 10 minutes later as Kim Chi-woo’s superb angled pass found Jung on the edge of the penalty area, and despite the presence of two Hanoi defender, the striker found the bottom corner.
FC Seoul ended the first half with a four-goal cushion as Hanoi conceded possession inside their own half and Escudero eventually played a one-two with Yun inside the penalty area before the Japanese striker was on hand to produce a superb first-time side-footed finish from close range.
And FC Seoul continued where they had left off in the second half as Jung curled home a first-time effort from outside of the penalty area less than a minute after the restart having exchanged passes with Lee.
FC Seoul did have to wait until 20 minutes remaining for Lee to turn home following good work from Jung before captain Koh fired high into the roof of the net from close range two minutes later after Hanoi goalkeeper Van Cong had dropped a high ball into the area on the edge of his six yard area to claim FC Seoul’s seventh of the night.
Photo: FC Seoul