BG Pathum suffer shoot-out heartbreak

BG Pathum suffer shoot-out heartbreak

BG Pathum's Teerasil Dangda, left, vies with Jeonbuk's Sasalak Haiprakhon.
BG Pathum's Teerasil Dangda, left, vies with Jeonbuk's Sasalak Haiprakhon.

BG Pathum United's campaign in the AFC Champions League ended in heartbreaking fashion on Wednesday when the Thai League 1 winners lost 4-2 on penalties to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the round of 16 in South Korea.

Gustavo opened the scoring just before half-time for the Korean side who dominated for long periods.

Although Jeonbuk, who fielded Thai left-back Sasalak Haiprakhon who is on loan from Thai club Buriram United, were the better team in the second half, Teerasil Dangda equalised for the visitors in the 76th minute to send the match into extra-time.

The Thailand national team veteran showed he remains a force at the top level, finding the net with a superb, angled header which tickled the upright on the way in following a measured cross from Chaowat Veerachat.

Both sides failed to find the back of the net in extra-time before two-time ACL champions Jeonbuk finished off the Rabbits in the penalty shoot-out in the one-legged match.

Goalkeeper Song Bum-Keun was the hero as he stopped two spot-kicks by Sarach Yooyen and Chitchanok Xaysensourinthone as his team reached the quarter-finals.

BG were without three key players -- defenders Victor Cardozo and Andres Tunez and striker Diogo Luis Santo -- who are injured. They also missed coach Aurilio Vidmar of Australia who did not fly to South Korea due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

In other last 16 match, Japan's Cerezo Osaka lost 1-0 to South Korea's Pohang Steelers.

On Tuesday, defending champions Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 3-2 penalty shoot-out win over Kawasaki Frontale of Japan following a 0-0 draw.

Mehdi Torabi's 90th-minute goal took last year's beaten finalists Persepolis into the last eight as the Iranians beat Tajikistan champions Istiklol 1-0.

Persepolis, also runners-up in the competition in 2018, were joined in the next round by Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr who saw off Iran's Tractor 1-0.

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