SEOUL-- South Korean side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors reached the semifinals of the top Asian club football tournament Monday, thanks to a 3-1 victory over Vissel Kobe of Japan in extra time.
Gustavo headed in the go-ahead goal 14 minutes into extra period in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, Japan. Moon Seon-min then scored Jeonbuk's final goal into the empty net in the dying seconds, with Vissel Kobe goalkeeper Daiya Maekawa having ventured into the attacking zone for a desperate pursuit of the equalizer.
In the semifinals, Jeonbuk will face another Japanese club, Urawa Red Diamonds, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, at the same Saitama venue. It is the home stadium for Urawa in the J1 League. They beat BG Pathum United 4-0 in Monday's other quarterfinal match in the East Region.
Teams in the West Region, including those from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran, among others, will play their quarterfinals and semifinals in February next year. The championship final will be played over two legs on Feb. 19 and 26 next year.
Jeonbuk have won two AFC crowns, first in 2006 and then in 2016. They are one win away from becoming the third straight finalist from the K League 1, following the 2020 champions Ulsan Hyundai FC and the 2021 runners-up Pohang Steelers.
This was Jeonbuk's second straight extra-time win, following their 2-1 win over fellow South Korean team Daegu FC last Thursday. Jeonbuk head coach Kim Sang-sik said afterward he had never been involved in consecutive extra-time victories, whether as a player or a coach, and he's going to keep close tabs on the health of his players.
"I am so grateful for my players that I don't even know what to say," Kim said. "The first half was tough. But we evened the score so soon after conceding the first goal, and that laid the foundation for the victory. Our players were really determined to win this match."
Thursday's semifinal match will be Jeonbuk's third in eight days, but Kim said he wasn't worried about any letdown.
"Our players are really driven and motivated. They may be running on fumes but they're getting sharper by the game," the coach said. "I believe they will be able to overcome any physical issues with their mental toughness."
The teams had few chances in the choppy first half but traded a goal apiece in the second half.
Vissel Kobe opened the scoring in the 64th, with the substitute Koya Yuruki slotting home the rebound after Yusei Ozaki's initial shot was turned aside by goalkeeper Lee Bum-soo.
But the lead lasted just two minutes, as Gustavo's through ball set up Mo Barrow's equalizer. Barrow outran Ozaki on the fast break and beat goalkeeper Daiya Maekawa through the five-hole.
Yuruki nearly put Vissel Kobe ahead in the 89th minute, when his right-footed shot from outside the box rolled just wide of the right post.
Jeonbuk responded at the other end in the next sequence, but Maekawa came up huge for Vissel Kobe, denying Kim Jin-gyu on a diving header and then stopping Kim Moon-hwan's mid-range shot to send the match into extra time.
Jeonbuk took the lead 14 minutes into extra time, as Barrow returned the favor to Gustavo. After taking a pass from Kim Jin-gyu on the left wing, Barrow curved a cross toward the goalmouth. Gustavo then jumped over defender Gotoku Sakai to head it home for a 2-1 lead.
"I expected Gustavo to come through for us in late moments," Jeonbuk coach Kim said. "He had an unbelievable game today. And I hope he continues to play this way."
Jeonbuk then tightened things up on their own end to hang on for the narrow victory.
Vissel Kobe forward Stefan Mugosa, a former K League 1 star with Incheon United, nearly headed in the equalizer during stoppage time of the second extra period, before Moon sealed the Japanese club's fate with the empty-netter.
Source: Yonhap News Agency