JDT SCORE EMPHATIC 5-2 WIN OVER POHANG STEELERS TO JOIN ACL ELITE ROUND OF 16

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) confirmed their spot in the round of 16 of the 2024/25 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Elite Champions League (ACL Elite) after producing an emphatic upset by beating South Korean powerhouse Pohang Steelers FC 5-2 here tonight.

The result saw JDT finish the Eastern Zone group competition in fourth position with 14 points after recording four wins, two draws and two losses.

In the clash at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium tonight, JDT, who were hunting for a big victory first, were stunned by the visitors' opening goal through Lee Ho-jae's header in the 26th minute.

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The Southern Tigers, who received strong support from their home fans, rallied to equalise in the 37th minute when Oscar Arribas calmly slotted home the loose ball after goalkeeper Yoon Pyung-Guk failed to gather Bergson Da Silva's header.

Right from the start of the second half, JDT's relentless drive paid off when Da Silva displayed good ball control to get past Yoon before firing home from a difficult angle for the team's second goal in the 52nd minute.

Four minutes later, it was national striker Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi’s turn to register his name on the scoresheet as he took advantage of Yoon's mistake because the goalkeeper’s clearence landed right at his feet and the striker gladly managed to dribble past the goalkeeper and fired a shot into the open goal.

Pohang Steelers, who were two goals behind, did not give up when they managed to close the gap through Kang Hyeon-je's finish in the 80th minute to make it 2-3.

However, JDT were too powerful as the final minutes ticked away and added two more goals well into injury time through Jese Rodriguez in the 90+7th minute followed by a penalty converted by Jorge Leonardo Obregon in the 90+15th minute, thus sealing a valuable victory.

In the knockout round scheduled to begin next March, Hector Bidoglio's Southern Tigers will take on another South Korean club, Gwangju FC while Pohang Steelers were eliminated from the competition after finishing ninth.

Meanwhile, three Japanese clubs finished in the Eastern Zone group at the top of the standings, Kawasaki Frontale with 18 points, followed by Yokohama F. Marinos in second place and Vissel Kobe in third.

--BERNAMA