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| No Byung-Jun scores Pohang's first goal from a free kick in the 57th minute [AFP] |
South Korea's Pohang Steelers won a record third continental title by beating Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad 2-1 to scoop the Asian Champions League title in Tokyo.
No Byung Jun started the scoring with a free kick in the 57th minute which boosted the confidence of the South Koreans.
Nine minutes later, Kim Jae Sung's free kick found defender Kim Hyung Il, who headed into the top left corner to set Pohang on their way to a place in the Club World Cup.
Al Ittihad, who were also going for their third Asian title, pulled a goal back in the 74th minute when Mohammed Noor poked the ball home after Korean goalkeeper Shin Hwa Yong could only parry a close-range header from Tunisian international Amine Chermiti.
But it was not enough to stop the Steelers, with the victory adding to their titles in 1997 and 1998.
Set pieces
"It was a tough match. The quality of Al Ittihad's play is very high,'' said Sergio Farias, Pohang's Brazilian coach.
"In the second half, we were able to regain control of the ball, but they marked us closely.
"Probably their weakness was that they didn't do well against our set pieces.''
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| Pohang's goalie Shin Hwa-Yong, left, saves a shot from Al Ittihad's Amine Chermiti [AFP] |
Both sides threatened in the closing minutes of the match at Tokyo's National Stadium, but the Saudi side - dubbed "K-League Killers'' by Korean media for its past mastery of South Korean clubs - failed to find an equaliser.
Al Ittihad nearly scored several times in the first half, including a searing free kick from Hicham Aboucherouane that keeper Shin leaped far to his left to punch out of the way.
Early in the match, Chermiti set up Noor by the goalmouth, but Pohang captain Hwang Jae Won made a sliding tackle to wrest away the ball.
"We were able to make a lot of opportunities, but we weren't able to capitalise,'' said Al Ittihad coach Gabriel Calderon.
"I'm very satisfied with the quality of play my team demonstrated. We did lose, but our players showed what a Saudi team is capable of.''
The final was the first time the Asian Champions League title was decided by a one-off match.
Since the club championship started in Champions League format in 2003, it was a home-and-away format.
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