‘Faded fighting spirit’ Jeonbuk loses penalty shootout to Urawa… ACL semi-final elimination
Enter 2022.08.26 (00:30)
Edited 2022.08.26 (00:31)
yunhap news
Jeonbuk Hyundai, a professional soccer team, lost to the Urawa Reds in a penalty shoot-out in the Korea-Japan match and postponed reclaiming the Asian champion title to the next opportunity.
Jeonbuk failed to decide the match 2-2 in overtime in the 2022 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) semi-final match held at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Japan on the 25th, and lost 1-3 in penalty shootouts.
As a result, Jeonbuk failed to recapture the Asian summit for the first time in six years since the 2016 championships.
Jeonbuk, whose chances of winning the K-League 1 were reduced by 9 points behind leader Ulsan Hyundai, played a special game that went into overtime every time to win the ACL.
Jeonbuk won two overtime wins in the round of 16 once morest Daegu FC (2-1) and in the quarter-finals once morest Vissel Kobe (Japan) (3-1).
Even following conceding the opening goal to Urawa, Jeonbuk ended up drawing a draw in the 120th minute, continuing their unbeaten streak once morest this team in 5 matches (3 wins, 2 draws).
Their career record once morest Jeonbuk and Ura is 3 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses, of which 2 losses occurred in 2007, before Jeonbuk emerged as a major power in Asia.
Urawa, recognized as the ‘strongest club’ in East Asia, will now play a home and away final with the surviving team in the West Asia tournament in February next year.
Jeonbuk coach Kim Sang-sik put Gustavo at the top and entrusted Song Min-gyu, Kim Jin-gyu, and Baek Seung-ho to attack in the second line.
Ryu Jae-moon and Maeng Seong-woong went on to double volante, while Kim Jin-soo and Kim Moon-hwan scrambled for left and right full-backs.
‘Captain’ Jung-ho Hong left the squad due to an ankle injury, and Young-sun Yoon also suffered muscle spasms in the match once morest Kobe, weakening Jeonbuk’s central defense power.
Goalkeeper Gloves were worn by Lee Beom-soo.
Jeonbuk played a difficult game as Gustavo, who held the key to attack, collided with an opponent at the beginning of the match and was greatly shocked.
In the 8th minute of the first half, Gustavo slammed into Urawa goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa while trying to make a header for a cross.
Gustavo, who seemed unconscious for a moment, got up and started the game, but he seemed to feel pain in the neck and his movements were not normal.
Urawa’s pressure position was very high, and Jeonbuk naturally developed a good situation to attack the back space, but Gustavo’s movement, who should take the lead role, was slow.
In the end, the first goal was Urawa Charge.
In the 11th minute of the first half, a cutback from Hiroki Sakai from the right was pushed into the front door by Yosuke Maso, and the goal line in Jeonbuk was smashed.
As Urawa unilaterally pushed Jeonbuk, head coach Kim Sang-sik relieved Gustavo’s burden by dropping Kim Jin-gyu and introducing Barrow in the 34th minute of the first half.
As time passed, Gustavo’s power gradually returned, and Barrow’s speed added to this, and Jeonbuk took the flow.
In the 42nd minute of the first half, the cutback following Barrow’s breakthrough on the left was disappointing as Song Mingyu passed one defender and connected it with a right-footed shot that missed over the goal.
In the 7th minute of the second half, Song Min-gyu took a penalty kick.
Song Min-gyu was tackled by Ohata Ayumu while attempting to link Barlow’s pass with a shot from the front of the goal area.
The referee from Iran declared a penalty kick, but following communicating with the VAR room, he did an on-field review.
After nearly two minutes of deliberation by the referee, the decision did not change, and Baek Seung-ho, who became the penalty kicker, scored in the 10th minute of the second half and returned the game to the starting point.
After a fierce battle ensued, Lee Beom-soo saved a decisive attack once morest Urawa in the second half of the extra time.
When Moveri’s shot hit the post, Casper Junker shot once more from the right side of the goal area, but Lee Beom-soo managed to block it, and the game went into overtime.
Director Kim Sang-sik’s replacement card worked.
In the 14th minute of the first half of extra time, Gyowon Han, who replaced Gustavo, scored a comeback goal in the 11th minute of the second half.
The ground-ball cross that Lee Seung-gi passed close to the goal post from the left was finished with a shot that only changed direction by Kyo-won Han.
However, in the 15th minute of the second half of extra time, Urawa scored an equalizer and the penalty went into a penalty shootout.
Lee Beom-soo managed to hit Akimoto Takahiro’s header, but Moveri linked it with another shot to make it 2-2.
Jeonbuk took the 1st kicker Bo-kyung Kim and the 2nd kicker Lee Seung-gi’s shots one following another and were blocked by goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa, leading to a 0-2 lead.
Jinsoo Kim’s shot, who was the 4th kicker, also hit the post, and Urawa’s 4th kicker, Ataru Esaka’s shot hit the post, confirming Urawa’s progress to the final.
Saitama Stadium is the home stadium of Urawa.
Urawa fans in red uniforms, famous for their extreme match, filled the first floor of the stadium and cheered unilaterally.
[사진 출처 : 연합뉴스]
