Jeonbuk to face Thai champs in AFC Champions League round of 16

SEOUL, April 18 (Yonhap) -- Reigning South Korean pro football champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will face Thai outfit Buriram United in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) round of 16 after winning their group on Wednesday.

Jeonbuk qualified for the knockout stage of the continental club football tournament as the top team in Group E after beating Hong Kong club Kitchee SC 2-0 at home. The K League 1 side wrapped up their group stage campaign with 15 points from five wins and one loss, edging out Chinese team Tianjin Quanjin by two points.

Jeonbuk, led by head coach Choi Kang-hee, will next face defending Thai league champions Buriram United, who finished second in Group G.

Jeonbuk, two-time ACL champions, had already confirmed their round of 16 presence on April 4 by beating Japanese club Kashiwa Reysol 2-0.

In their last Group E match at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Jeonbuk had a scoreless first half. The South Koreans, however, made a breakthrough in the second half thanks to their substitutes.

Lee Seung-gi opened the scoring just two minutes after he entered the pitch. Towering striker Kim Shin-wook, who replaced Lee Dong-gook in the 63rd minute, headed down Ricardo Lopes' pass in the box and helped Lee to score from a close range in the 72nd.

Kim then put his name on the scoring sheet in the 79th minute. The 30-year-old redirected a pass from Lim Seon-yeong, who also came onto the pitch in the 63rd, with a header for a 2-0 lead.

Jeonbuk further punished Kitchee in the 87th minute, and this time Kim provided a brilliant back heel pass to Lim, who finished with his left foot.

Earlier in the day, Ulsan Hyundai played to a 2-2 draw with Kawasaki Frontale in their final Group F match at Todoroki Athletics Stadium in Kawasaki, Japan.

Ulsan, 2012 ACL winners, had already secured their knockout berth as the runners-up in Group F regardless of the match against Kawasaki. With the latest result, Ulsan ended their group stage with nine points from two wins, three draws and one loss.

Against group worst Kawasaki, Ulsan gave up two goals in the first half. Yuto Suzuki made it 1-0 just two minutes after the kickoff with a right-footed strike and Tatsuya Hasegawa doubled the lead for the hosts in the 43rd.

Ulsan, however, leveled the score in a three-minute span in the second half. Park Yong-woo cut the deficit to one with his header in the 47th minute and Lee Yeong-jae pulled off an equalizer in the 50th with his left foot.

Ulsan will next meet fellow K League 1 club Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the round of 16. Suwon finished atop Group H with their win over Kashima Antlers on Tuesday.

kdon@yna.co.kr
(END)