Jeonbuk Hyundai created an early goal but suffered a bitter defeat after conceding goals in quick succession.
Jeonbuk Hyundai lost 2-3 in the away match of the quarterfinal second leg for the 2024-2025 season AFC Champions League held at Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney, Australia, at 5 p.m. on the 13th (Korean time).
Since they lost 0-2 in the first leg held on the 6th at Yongin Mir Stadium, they needed a win to advance to the semifinals. Fortunately, starting player Jeon Jin-woo scored two goals, leveling the aggregate score at 2-2, but they collapsed by conceding goals in quick succession. Jeonbuk failed to advance to the semifinals, with an aggregate score of 2-5.
Jeonbuk fielded a 4-3-3 formation. Jeon Jin-woo, Park Jae-yong, and Jeon Byeong-gwan aimed to score, while Lee Young-jae, Boateng, and Kim Jin-kyu filled the midfield. Choi Cheol-soon, Park Jin-seob, Yeon Je-woon, and Kim Tae-hyun formed the back four, with Kim Jung-hoon guarding the goal.
Kim Young-bin, Choi Woo-jin, Lee Seung-woo, Kang Sang-yoon, Ahn Hyun-beom, Jin Tae-ho, Kwon Chang-hoon, and Gong Si-hyun waited on the bench. Starting striker Kompanyo, along with veteran players Korean Young and Kim Tae-hwan, remained in Korea to rest.
Sydney matched up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Klimala took position at the front, and Antonio Casares, Douglas Costa, and Joe Lolly formed the attacking midfield. Gamizo and Leo Sena occupied the midfield, while Courtney Perkins, Alex Grant, Ryan Grant, and Joel King formed the back four. Goalkeeper Devernish Mears donned the gloves. Sydney started with the same lineup as in the first leg.
Jeonbuk faced a crisis from the start of the first half. In the 4th minute, Casares broke through the left flank and shot, narrowly missing the goal.
Sydney seemed to be taking the lead. In the 9th minute, Klimala connected with Casares' cross with an accurate shot to find the net. However, after video review (VAR), the goal was disallowed for offside.
In the 20th minute of the first half, Jeonbuk faced another crisis. Yeon Je-woon cleared the ball, which dropped into an open space and was swiftly snatched by Sydney. The ball was passed to striker Klimala. Kim Jung-hoon narrowed the angle and did not allow a shot.
In the 25th minute of the first half, Jeonbuk earned a free kick from the right side outside the Sydney box. Lee Young-jae, taking the kick, passed to Kim Jin-kyu, who immediately took a shot. The attempt was blocked by the defense, and the opportunity was wasted.
Jeonbuk swallowed their frustration. In the 32nd minute, a corner kick from the right side was aimed at Park Jae-yong, who headed the ball but missed the goal narrowly. Shortly after, another cross from the right led to a header shot by Jeon Jin-woo, but this time the goalkeeper saved it.
Jeonbuk broke the deadlock. In the 35th minute, Kim Jin-kyu collected a ball that was sent over from behind in the box, and Jeon Jin-woo immediately connected it with a shot. The ball hit the crossbar and shook the net.
Three minutes of stoppage time were given in the first half. A corner kick floated in from the left by Lee Young-jae was met with a header, but goalkeeper Mears barely managed to block it. Shortly after, Boateng, who collected the ball inside the box, attempted a powerful shot, but once again the goalkeeper made a save.
Jeonbuk turned the game around. Following a corner kick situation after Boateng's shot, even though Boateng's attempt was saved by the goalkeeper, the rebound was pushed in by Jeon Jin-woo, making it 2-0 and leveling the aggregate score at 2-2. The first half ended with Jeonbuk in the lead.
As the second half began, Jeonbuk faced a golden opportunity. A pass reached Jeon Jin-woo, who surged down the left flank, and a one-on-one chance was created. Jeon Jin-woo attempted a right-footed shot, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper.
Jeonbuk used a substitution card. In the 63rd minute, Jeon Jin-woo complained of a leg muscle cramp, and Ahn Hyun-beom entered the field in his place.
Jeonbuk conceded a goal. In the 60th minute, in a free kick situation, Alex Grant pushed the rebound from near the goal, making it 2-1, and they began leading in the aggregate score at 2-3.
Jeonbuk swallowed their frustration again. In the 67th minute, Ahn Hyun-beom, who received a penetrating pass, calmly shot with his right foot inside the box, finding the net, but the video review (VAR) was conducted, and it was ruled offside, thus the goal was not recognized.
Jeonbuk conceded another goal. In the 71st minute, Douglas Costa evaded the defense and passed to Courtney Perkins, whose return pass flowed to Klimala, who immediately took a shot, leveling it at 2-2 and widening the gap on the aggregate score to 2-4.
Jeonbuk allowed one more goal. In the 80th minute, Boateng fouled Courtney Perkins in the process, and the referee declared a penalty kick. Costa, as the kicker, added a goal with an accurate shot.
Six minutes of stoppage time were given. The match ended with Jeonbuk's 2-3 defeat. Jeonbuk recorded an aggregate score of 2-5, failing to advance to the semifinals.
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