AFC Champions League Two
Glenn Kweh’s well-taken second half goal at the Steelyard was nullified by substitute Cho Sang-hyeok three minutes before the end, with the Korea Republic side’s equaliser denying Singapore’s Tampines early knockout stage qualification.
Paik Sun-dong could have given Pohang the lead in the fifth minute if he had arrived just a second earlier to head in Kim In-sung’s pass across goal, with Cho Jae-hun pouncing on the loose ball but seeing his strike easily handled by keeper Syazwan Buhari.
The home side took control from that point, with the Tampines defence working overtime to block successive attempts by Kang Hyeon-Je and Kim. Syazwan did his part by palming out a 25-yard free-kick from Kim Dong-jin 20 minutes into the match.
Tampines had only one look at goal in the first 40 minutes, but Takeshi Yoshimoto’s shot from inside the area was prevented from reaching keeper Yoon Pyung-guk by Pohang captain Lee Dong-hee’s timely intervention.
Their second came a minute before the break when the Pohang defence was caught napping, allowing an unmarked Hide Higashikawa to latch on to Koya Kazama’s pass and rattle the woodwork with his thumping shot.
Tampines were third time lucky 12 minutes into the second half, with an opening goal that came against the run of play when Kweh burst down the right flank unchallenged from the centre line and slotted the ball through Yoon’s legs.
The goal forced Pohang into responding, with the opposing defence and Syazwan fending off wave after wave of attacks from Kim Dong-jin, Oberdan Alionco and Paik.
Brilliant defending again by skipper Lee prevented the Singapore side from doubling their lead in the 80th minute when he tackled a goal-bound Trent Buhagiar just before the midfielder could line up his shot.
Pohang’s relentless attacks, however, meant the equalising goal was always on the cards, and it came in the 87th minute when Cho pounced on a rebound from a saved Oberdan shot and drove the ball in from close range.
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