A goal in each half yesterday gave South Korea’s Pohang Steelers a 2-0 victory over Qatari minnows Umm Salal and a crucial cushion to take into the second leg of their AFC Champions League semi-final.
Pohang made the most of home advantage at the Steelyard Stadium with Hwang Jae-won and Kim Jae-sung finding the target but they should have had more goals against a team on the back foot for most of the match.
They now travel to Doha for the return leg next Wednesday with a Nov. 7 final in Tokyo beckoning against either Saudi Arabian giants Al Ittihad or Japan’s Nagoya Grampus, who played later yesterday.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Pohang dominated from the kick-off, spurning a good chance in the first minute before Brazilian striker Denilson hit the crossbar in the third.
Umm Salal’s Brazilian striker Davi had a good one-on-one opportunity blocked in the sixth minute but it was a rare foray forward for a team looking to become only the second Qatari club to take the Asian club title after Al Sadd in 1989.
Macedonia striker Stevica Rastic headed narrowly wide in the 34th minute and hit the bar with another header in the 42nd.
Umm Salal’s fate was sealed when Hwang got the opener deep into first-half injury time, outjumping the goalkeeper to plant a powerful header into the left-hand corner.
It was timely strike and Pohang returned for the second period determined to build on their advantage, exerting sustained pressure and having a penalty appeal turned down on 53 minutes.
Their crucial second goal finally came 11 minutes from time when playmaker Kim launched himself at a pinpoint cross from Song Chong-ho and buried his diving header in the top left-hand corner.
The hosts almost grabbed a third goal in the dying seconds as South Korean international Choi Hyo-jin fired into the side netting from close range.
It was a deserved victory for the K-League team — who won the Asian crown in 1997 and 1998 — who were forced to work hard.
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