Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Ulsan: Coach Kim Ho-gon has promised Ulsan Hyundai will take an aggressive approach to Wednesday's quarter-final against Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal as the K-League Cup winners seek to maintain Korea Republic's strong recent history in the AFC Champions League.
With the K-League providing two of the last three winners of the AFC Champions League along with last year's beaten finalists, Ulsan are the only remaining K-League representative in the competition this season after former champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma and Pohang Steelers all failed to advance to the quarter-finals.
Ulsan have made a strong start to the new K-League Championship round, which features the top eight teams from the recently concluded regular season, after a late goal from striker Kim Shin-wook secured a 2-1 win over Gyeongnam on Saturday and they side will look to take an advantage to Saudi Arabia for the return fixture at the start of October.
"We need to win because this match is at home so we need to attack. We need to win so we will play aggressively," said coach Kim, who guided Ulsan to the K-League play-off final against Jeonbuk last season.
"We are the last team in the AFC Champions League from Korea so we must play well in this match. We want to win this match so we will do our best.
"It is a very important match. We have had a short time to look at Al Hilal and we know they are very fast and very strong. We have done a lot of analysis so we are well prepared."
Ulsan have received a major boost ahead of the first leg with the news that striker Lee Keun-ho is available to face Al Hilal after suffering an injury while on international duty last week.
Lee was injured during Korea's 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan in a FIFA World Cup qualifier and missed the win over Gyeongnam at the weekend.
"He was injured while playing for Korea so we rested him for the last match, but he is now recovered," added Kim.
Ulsan also face the prospect of coming up against Korean striker Yoo Byung-soo, who scored four goals as Al Hilal beat UAE Pro League side Baniyas in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League at the end of May.
The former Incheon United striker, who was part of Korea's squad at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, missed the start of the new Saudi League season due to injury but has since returned and is available to visiting coach Antoine Kombouare.
"We have seen Yoo in a video and we know he makes lots of chances, although we do not know if he will start," continued the Ulsan coach.
"If he has a chance to play, he will be very dangerous."
Ulsan captain Kwak Tae-hwi will have the job to try and keep Yoo quiet, although the Korea international knows he will have will hands full on Wednesday regardless with Brazilian striker Wesley (Wesley Lopes da Silva) and Yasser Al Qahtani.
Former AFC Player of the Year Qahtani, who is a slight injury doubt, has scored three goal at the start of the new Saudi League season, while Wesley tops the early season domestic scoring charts having scored seven goals in just five appearances.
"It is very important to win the game at home and also not concede a goal," said Ulsan captain Kwak.