“Frustrating two goals conceded”: Jeonbuk draws 2-2 in China at Beijing... Ranks 10th among 16 ACLE teams

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors could not beat Beijing Guoan of China. Despite scoring first early on, they conceded consecutive goals before barely managing to level the score.

Jeonbuk, led by manager Jung Jung-yong, drew 2-2 with Beijing in the third match of the league stage of the 2026~2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE), held on the 27th (Korean time) at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing, China.

Having previously defeated Kashiwa Reysol and lost to Vissel Kobe (both from Japan), Jeonbuk added one point on this day to record four points (1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss) with a goal difference of -1, placing them 10th among the 16th teams in East Asia.

The ACLE league stage, divided into East Asian and West Asian regions with 16 teams each, is conducted such that after each team plays eight matches, the top 8 teams from each region advance to the Round of 16 tournament.

Among K League teams, Daejeon Hana Citizen (4 points) ranked 9th, ahead of Jeonbuk in goal difference, while Pohang Steelers (0 points), who have not yet played their third league stage match, remain at 14th place.

Jeonbuk, deploying Motta up front and placing Kim Seung-seop and Lee Dong-jun on the flanks, broke the deadlock just two minutes into the first half. Motta connected with a header from a cross delivered by Choi Woo-jin from the left flank to shake the opponent's net.

However, Jeonbuk conceded an equalizer in the 34th minute of the first half. Following a free kick, the ball popped up high directly in front of the penalty box; the opponent headed it, and the ball found Jeremy Duziac, who was penetrating the space behind the defense, resulting in a goal against Jeonbuk. The failure to win the aerial duel, as well as the lack of focus in cutting off the pass heading into the space behind the defense, was disappointing.

Jeonbuk then conceded a go-ahead goal in the 7th minute of the second half, pushing them into a difficult position. In a counter-attack situation, goalkeeper Song Beom-geun stopped a one-on-one threat with a super save, but Wang Gang finished from close range after the ball bounced to the penalty spot, exploiting the moment when Hwang Seung-jun failed to clear it quickly. The keeper Song Beom-geun could not contain his anger at the frustrating goal, and Hwang Seung-jun bent over, swallowing his disappointment.

However, Jeonbuk did not give up. In the 19th minute of the second half, a corner kick by Kim Jin-gyu deflected off the body of Kim Young-bin and rolled backward; Lee Young-je connected with a left-footed half-volley to open the goal. Afterward, Jeonbuk continued their offensive pressure by bringing on Lee Seung-woo and Kang Sang-yoon, but ultimately could not turn the game around again and had to settle for one point.

On this day, Jeonbuk was significantly behind in ball possession at 36.3% to 63.7%. However, they actually had more shots with 15 to 14, and on-target shots were tied at 5-5.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original