Professional soccer's K League 1 champions Ulsan HD lost their bid to regain the Asian crown for the first time in five years after falling to Japanese champions Kawasaki Frontale.
Ulsan fell 0-1 to Kawasaki in the first leg of the 2024-2025 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) League Stage on Monday at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, South Korea.
Ulsan, who won the ACL in 2020, the competition's predecessor, will be looking to win their third title in five years and third overall.
Ulsan entered the competition as K League 1 champions for the 2023 season. Ulsan is also leading the K League 1 this season.
Kawasaki, who entered the ACLE as the 2023 champions, have struggled a bit this season, finishing 14th in the J1 League.
Ulsan head coach Kim Pan-gon made changes to his lineup, starting forward Kim Min-joon and midfielder Matheus, who have not played much in the K League 1.
Kawasaki started former South Korean international goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong, who is now in his ninth season in goal.
With the turf so poor that basic passing and dribbling was difficult to sustain, neither team was able to produce the kind of midfield play that is typical of Asia's top stage.
This, coupled with the dull play of both offenses, made for a very boring first half.
Ulsan made a surprise move at the start of the second half, removing Lee Kyu-sung, Kim Min-woo, and Kim Min-joon and introducing three foreign strikers at the same time: 카지노사이트 Rubikson, Arabije, and Japan's Ataru.
Ulsan didn't make much of a difference in the match until the ninth minute of the second half, when Brazilian forward Marcinho scored the game's first goal.
Marcinho cut in from the left side and fired a right-footed curling shot into the far post.
Ulsan's offense was only revitalized in the second half after Go Seung-beom came on for Matheus in the 16th minute.
In the 26th minute, following a counterattack, Inhabi-Gyu and Go Seung-Bum both had consecutive shots that found the feet of opposing defenders.
Ulsan's fifth substitution of the match came in the 30th minute when Yago came on for Lee Min-gyu, and five minutes later, Ataru went down with pain in his leg.
After receiving first aid, Ataru showed great determination to get back on the field.
Kawasaki's victory was cemented in the 48th minute when Yago's mid-range shot from the edge of the box was saved by Jung Sung-ryong.
With the ACL being split into the top-tier Elite (ACLE) and the second-tier ACL2 starting this season, the three K-League 1 teams recorded one win and two losses in the first round of the ACLE.
The previous day, civic club Gwangju FC defeated Japan's Yokohama F.Marinos 7-3 at home, while Pohang Steelers lost 1-4 away to Shanghai Shenhua.
Ulsan will play the second leg of the league stage away from home against Yokohama on March 2.