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Title: Pohang Steelers (KOR)) 2-1 Al Ittihad (KSA) ACL Final View count: 3331 Rating: 4.4 (10 ratings) Description: Ready, get set go! / Peppertones (singer) --------------------- 아시아 정복 포항 스틸러스 2009 POHANG STEELERS WIN AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TOKYO - Second-half goals from No Byung-jun and Kim Hyung-il saw Pohang Steelers claim the 2009 AFC Champions League title with a 2-1 victory over Al Ittihad at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Following a goalless first-half, No found the back of the net with a 57th minute free-kick before Kim Hyung-il headed home the second nine minutes later, again from a set-piece. Mohammed Noor pulled a goal back for Al Ittihad with 16 minutes to go but they could not find an equaliser as the Koreans held out to lift the trophy and book a place in the FIFA Club World Cup. The title was Pohang's third continental triumph (following Asian Club Championship wins in 1997 and 1998) and means they become the most successful team in Asian football history. Pohang threatened early as Denilson tricked his way along the byline but his dangerous low cross was cleared in the six-yard box. The Koreans were making all the early running but were indebted to Hwang Jae-won when the skipper made a vital last-ditch block to deflect Amine Chermiti's powerful shot after the striker had been played in. Hicham Aboucherouane fired harmlessly over and Kim Tae-su brought a comfortable save out of Mabrouk Zaid at the other end before Al Ittihad wasted the best chance of the game so far after 21 minutes. Saleh Al Saqri delivered a dangerous left-footed free-kick from the left flank and Saud Khariri rose highest but directed his header straight at the feet of Shin Hwa-young and the keeper gratefully clung on. Kim Tae-su volleyed way over outside the box when Zaid punched Kim Jae-sung's corner clear and Stevica Ristic fired wastefully wide from distance when he would have been better served playing in fellow forward Denilson. Shin then produced an excellent save to punch away Aboucherouane's fizzing 30-yard free-kick that was destined for the top corner 10 minutes before the break while Ahmed Hadid's dipping set-piece from closer in just cleared the bar with the Pohang keeper scrambling as a tight first-half came to a close with the score line blank and both sides just lacking quality with their final ball. Al Ittihad almost broke the deadlock two minutes after the break when Chermiti saw a glancing header from Aboucherouane's cross come back off the crossbar. The Saudis were beginning to dominate and following a mad scramble in the box during which Manaf Aboshgair saw a shot blocked the ball was knocked back in and Chermiti out-muscled his marker but ballooned his half-volley disappointingly over at the back post. It proved costly as Pohang took the lead two minutes later. Denilson's jinking run was brought to a halt illegally 25 yards from goal by Obaid Al Shamrani and No's free-kick went through the wall and bounced inside the near post. The goal seemed to rattle Al Ittihad and Denilson had space to fire low beyond the far post before Pohang doubled their advantage in the 66th minute. Kim Jae-sung delivered a free-kick from the right and Kim Hyung-il, whose father recently passed away, managed to twist his body and direct a header into the far corner despite the attentions of the Al Ittihad defence. Gabriel Calderon's men looked to hit back immediately and Aboucherouane saw a powerful curling effort fly a whisker over the bar before they pulled a goal back in the 74th minute. Chermiti met a deep cross at the back post and although Shin managed to claw away his header, Noor was on hand to volley home the loose ball from eight yards. Substitute Luciano then brought an excellent save out of the Pohang keeper at full stretch as Al Ittihad pressed for an equaliser. Zaid managed to deal with No's dipping shot after the forward had latched onto a long ball over the top and cut inside a defender and Pohang saw a goal ruled out for a foul on the keeper following Kim Jung-kyum's free-kick. Zaid held Kim Jae-sung's free-kick from the edge of the box and Denilson could have sealed it with time running out but the Brazilian fired over from a narrow angle. Aboucherouane then fired a free-kick inches wide in stoppage time as Al Ittihad saw their hopes of a third AFC Champions League crown slip away. Tags: pohang, steelers, al, ittihad, acl, final, 포항, 스틸러스, Author: ipxuuu |
