Pohang Steelers of professional football K League 1 drew 1-1 with Japanese powerhouse Gamba Osaka in the first leg of the 2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League round of 16.
In the first leg of the 2025-2026 ACL2 round of 16 held at Pohang Steel Yard on the 12th, Pohang fell behind when Yamashita Ryoya scored the opening goal in the 2nd minute of the second half. However, in the 25th minute of the second half, Jorge leveled the score with a right-footed curling shot from the left of Gamba Osaka's goal. No further goals were scored, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
With this result, the ticket to the quarterfinals will go to the team that wins the second leg to be held at Gamba Osaka's home on the 19th. Pohang finished second in Group H in the group stage with four wins, one draw and one loss (13 points), while Gamba Osaka advanced to the round of 16 as first in Group F with six wins in six matches (18 points).
Pohang led the attack from the early stages of the match but failed to score. In the 2nd minute of the first half, Lee Ho-jae's right-footed shot, who received Juninho's pass, and Juninho's left-footed curling shot two minutes later both went straight to the goalkeeper and were wasted. In the 21st minute of the first half, Nishiya Genno's left-footed shot was blocked by the defensive wall, and thereafter goalkeeper Hwang In-jae's saves averted several scoring threats. In the 42nd minute of the first half, Lee Ho-jae's header from Ki Sung-yong's corner narrowly missed the post, and the first half ended 0-0.
The deadlock was broken in the 2nd minute of the second half. Gamba Osaka launched a quick counterattack from their left side of their half, and Yamashita split Pohang's goal with a right-footed curling shot from the left of the penalty area into the upper right. Pohang appealed for a foul during Oh Jung-won's run in the penalty area in the 9th minute of the second half, but it was not upheld after a VAR review. In the 10th minute of the second half, Lee Ho-jae's header was also stopped by the goalkeeper.
Pohang equalized in the 25th minute of the second half through Jorge, restoring the match to level, but both teams failed to score thereafter and the game finished as a 1-1 draw. The winner of the second leg on the 19th will claim the quarterfinal spot.
[OSEN]