Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Nanjing: FC Seoul will go through to the Round of 16 of the 2013 AFC Champions League as winners of Group E after a 2-0 victory over Jiangsu Sainty on Wednesday put them in an unassailable position at the top of the standings.
Koh Myung-jin and Yun Il-lok scored a goal in each half to earn Choi Yong-soo’s side all three points and move the K-League champions on to 10 points from five games, four clear of Vegalta Sendai and Buriram United with one round of matches remaining.
Despite the loss, Jiangsu can still reach the knockout phase of the competition if they defeat Vegalta Sendai in the final round of matches next week and Buriram United lose to FC Seoul.
FC Seoul will have home advantage in the second leg of their Round of 16 clash, where they will face the runners-up from Group F, in which Guangzhou Evergrande, Jeonbuk Motors and Urawa Reds are still jockeying for position with one game left.
“We showed a great improvement in this game compared to our first encounter in the AFC Champions League,” said Choi.
“We had a very good game. I want to say thanks to my players, they were very focused on this game. Now we have won the top position in the group and I am very grateful to their teamwork and team spirit.”
The Korean champions were in control for much of the first half against the Chinese Super League side, hitting the woodwork through Koh before the 25-year-old opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a devastating drive from range that found the top left corner of Deng Xiaofei’s goal.
Yun also hit the woodwork as the half moved towards its conclusion, his shot looping up before hitting the post with Deng beaten.
For all the enthusiastic support of the home crowd, Jiangsu made little impression on the FC Seoul defence, with Aleksandar Jevtic’s volley in the 67th minute one of the few chances the home side created, and that was straight into the arms of Kim Yong-dae.
Sergio Escudero became the third FC Seoul player to hit the frame of the goal in the 71st minute when tried to beat Deng at his near post, only for the ball to clip the outside of the upright and ricochet to safety.
But just a minute later the visitors doubled their advantage when Dejan Damjanovic stepped over Choi Tae-uk’s low pass into the centre from the right, deceiving the defence and giving Yun the time to plant the ball firmly beyond Deng and seal all three points.
“We did well in terms of running and competing for the ball, actually we had good performance,” said Jiangsu coach Dragan Okuka. “Unfortunately, during our best part, which was the first half, we conceded a goal. In the second half we pushed them a lot but they succeeded in the counterattack.
“I don't have much to complain about with my players. They tried their best and fought till the last second. Playing both domestically and internationally is a big challenge for us. But, as we have chosen to play in the AFC Champions League, we have to pay the price.”
Photo: WSG