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Pohang Steelers Wins Asian Champions League After Defeating Al Ittihad 2-1
Published by footballholic on November 7, 2009
Pohang Steelers
Asian Football News – Pohang Steelers defeated Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia 2-1 in the Asian Champions League final in Tokyo on Saturday. The win gives the Korean team a record third continental triumph and the title of the most successful club team in Asian football history.
After a goalless first half, Pohang took the lead against the run of play through Noh Byung-joon just before the hour and just minutes later, Kim Hyung-il headed home a second.
Mohammed Noor reduced the arrears with 16 minutes remaining to set up a nervous end.
Al Ittihad were left to rue a number of missed chances that came and went in the first hour of the match but after Pohang took the lead, the Koreans had the better of proceedings.
It was a very lively start at a National Stadium in Tokyo that may have been far from full but had enough fans to create a good atmosphere.
Both teams had vowed to attack and they soon made good on their promises, especially Al Ittihad who enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and the half as a whole.
The Saudis almost opened the scoring within 30 seconds. Pohang goalkeeper Shin Hwa-young rushed out of the six-yard box to the byline but was beaten to the ball by Hicham Aboucherouane though the Morocan striker shot into the side-netting.
Pohang went close almost immediately, with Denilson’s low cross just cleared by the Saudi defence and after nine minutes, Kim Tae-soo brought a good save out of Mabrouz Zaid with a low drive that was sneaking in at the far post.
The game soon started to settle down with the Saudis looking more dangerous going forward than their opponents.
Midway through the first half, Redha Tukar, who scored in both legs of the 2004 final, almost headed Al Ittihad ahead from a deep free-kick but Shin got down well.
The keeper got up well ten minutes before the break to tip over a fierce free-kick from Aboucherouane and he was flying through the air a minute later as another free-kick just cleared the bar.
Pohang coach Sergio Farias was probably happier than his opposite number Gabriel Calderon to hear the half-time whistle as Al Ittihad were getting on top.
Almost as soon as the game restarted, the Saudis came close to taking the lead. Tukar’s cross on the left found the head of Amine Chermiti but while the ball had goalkeeper Shin beat, it bounced back off the middle of the crossbar.
The Tunisian missed a much easier chance five minutes later. Pohang were able to block a series of Saudi shots but were unable to clear their lines. A cross eventually found Chermiti three yards out, and looking offside, but the African somehow shot over the bar.
Then after 56 minutes, Pohang snatched the lead. A free-kick from Noh found its way through the yellow wall and into the bottom corner.
The goal was against the run of play but the Steelers visibly grew in confidence against a stunned Al Ittihad.
Eight minutes later, Pohang moved further ahead through another set piece. Defender Kim Hyung-il rose above the Ittihad defence to head home a Kim jae-sung free-kick into the corner of the net.
Al Ittihad look to be out of the match but with 16 minutes remaining, Shin could only parry a header from Chermiti into the path of Noor who volleyed home from near the penalty spot.
Unsurprisingly, the goal put a spring in the Saudi step and moments later, Shin had to react well to push a fierce drive from substitute Luciano round the post.
By this time, the game was completely open and Noh and Denilson both had good chances to restore Pohang’s two-goal advantage.
Pohang continued to look the likelier of the two teams to score and didn’t have too many problems in seeing out the game and becoming the champions of Asia.
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