Jeonbuk motor into Champions League final
Reuters - Wednesday 26 October 2011, 17:30
Brazilian playmaker
Eninho scored both goals in Jeonbuk Motors' 2-1 win over 10-man
Al-Ittihad on Wednesday and they will play Al Sadd in next
month's Asian Champions League final.
Qatar's Al Sadd overcame Suwon Bluewings 2-1 on aggregate
despite losing the second leg of their semi-final 1-0 at home.
Jeonbuk qualified 5-3 on aggregate and the South Koreans
will be confident of a second title following their 2006 success
after another high-tempo attacking display saw off the Saudis.
"We got what we wanted, we are at home for the final and
that is an advantage," Jeonbuk coach Choi Kang-hee told
reporters. "Eninho's goals were a big help but we still had work
to do."
Al-Ittihad's slim hopes of overturning the 3-2 first leg
deficit at the World Cup stadium in Jeonju suffered an early
blow when their leading striker Naif Hazazi was shown a red card
in the 12th minute for head-butting Cho Sung-hwan.
Hazazi, who scored his side's two goals in the first leg,
shoved a team-mate after the referee waved the red card, before
collapsing to his knees in tears. Two other Saudi players had to
help him from the field.
"The sending-off was another blow but there won't be any
punishment for Hazazi. He is an excellent player and this kind
of thing happens in football," Al-Ittihad coach Dimitri
Davidovic said.
Ten minutes later Eninho raced on to a neat flicked header
from Jeong Shung-hoon, held off a heavy challenge and struck a
left-foot shot into the corner from 14 metres out.
Jeonbuk flowed forward with wave after wave of attacks
before Eninho scored a deserved second in the 36th minute direct
from a corner. The Brazilian's inswinger went over Rashed Al
Rahab at the near post and sneaked past goalkeeper Mabrouk Zaid.
DICTATED PLAY
The Saudis, who won back-to-back Champions League titles
from 2004, pushed forward bravely in the second half and grabbed
a consolation goal in the 73rd minute through Brazilian Wendel
after a clever pass by Mohammed Noor.
The night ended badly for Jeonbuk when, with two minutes
left, substitute Krunoslav Lovrek was sent off after collecting
a harsh second yellow for tangling with Al Rahab after play had
stopped.
The red card means he will miss the final along with striker
Luiz Henrique and defender Cho Sung-Hwan, who picked up yellow
cards and will be suspended.
In Doha, South Korea's Suwon sparked hopes of an unlikely
turnround by taking the lead after just seven minutes at the
air-conditioned Al Sadd stadium with a superb volley by Oh
Jang-eun.
The Suwon striker controlled the ball on his chest before
firing a low right-foot shot into the corner to halve the 2-0
deficit from the controversial first leg.
Al Sadd were missing attacking duo Keita Kader and Mamadou
Niang after they were red-carded after a 22-man brawl in the
first leg, and the Qataris opted to drop deep to protect their
lead.
The visitors dictated play and enjoyed the bulk of
possession against their more physical opponents but failed to
create the clear-cut chances their dominance merited.
Al Sadd's former Asian Player of the Year Khalfan Ibrahim
was impressive throughout and came closest to scoring for the
home side 10 minutes before half-time with a rasping drive that
Jung Sung-ryong tipped on to the crossbar.