Professional soccer club Jeonbuk Hyundai defeated Pohang Steelers to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2023-2024 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League. Jeonbuk drew 1-1 with Pohang midway through the second leg of their round of 16 tie at Pohang Steelyard on Tuesday, thanks to an equalizer from Jung Tae-wook. After a 2-0 victory in the first leg at home with goals from Hernandez and Ahn Hyun-beom, Jeonbuk punched their ticket to the quarterfinals with a 3-1 aggregate lead after the first and second legs.
Jeonbuk will face the winner of the Round of 16 match between Ulsan HD and Banpore Kofu (Japan) in the semifinals next month, home and away. The first leg of the round of 16 between Ulsan and Kofu ended in a 3-0 victory for Ulsan, with the second leg to be played in Tokyo on Jan. 21.If Ulsan reaches the quarterfinals, it will set up a “Hyundai Street Derby” between the two K League clubs. Jeonbuk avenged last year’s FA Cup final loss to Pohang in the first leg in the new year. In his first year in the K League, Jeonbuk coach Dan Petrescu promised to “redeem himself” by winning the first matchup of the new year.
Park Tae-ha, who took over the reins at Pohang ahead of this season, was disappointed to lose his first ACL challenge. Pohang rattled the Jeonbuk net in the 12th minute when Park Chan-yong fired a right-footed mid-range shot from about 30 meters out. Jeonbuk goalkeeper Kim Jung-hoon read the direction, positioned himself, and stretched out his hand, but the shot deflected off his hand and into the goal .Despite Pohang’s dominance in possession, it was Jeonbuk who scored the next goal. Jung Tae-wook, a tall center back who came on for Lee Soo-bin in the 24th minute, was responsible for the equalizer just seven minutes later. In the 31st minute, Thiago’s header pass from the right side was met by Jung Tae-wook, who raced onto the ball and finished with his head. Pohang goalkeeper Hwang In-jae 슬롯게이밍 reached out, but Jung’s head was higher than the leaping Jung.