Ulsan Hyundai FC Cruise Past Melbourne Victory to Book AFC Champions League Quarter-Final Ticket

Doha, December 06 (QNA) - Ulsan Hyundai continued their stellar run in the 2020 AFC Champions League, eliminating Melbourne Victory with a 3-0 Round of 16 win at Education City Stadium on Sunday. Bjorn Johnsen again emerged as Ulsans super sub, scoring two goals off the bench for the second game running, with fellow replacement Won Du-jae also finding the net as Kim Do-hoons side ran over the top of their Australian opponents. While Victory's Asian odyssey is over, Ulsans win confirms the Korean club's first quarter-final appearance since they won the competition in 2012, with their opponents to be determined by a draw on Tuesday. The K League outfit had been one of the standout sides in the group stage, and their red-hot form looked like it would continue when Yoon Bit-garam skied a volley from close range in the seventh minute, with Junior Negrao missing with a header a minute later. The Australians, meanwhile, were missing captain Leigh Broxham and English midfielder Callum McManaman, and their personnel problems got worse when left-back Adama Traore succumbed to injury inside a quarter of an hour. One position Victory didnt need to worry about was goalkeeper, with Max Crocombe keeping his side in the contest with four first-half saves, including a sensational one-on-one stop to deny Kim In-sung, who was dismayed to have squandered the most golden of chances from 10 yards out. Victory, appearing in the knockout stage for only the second time in club history, grew in confidence as the match went on to reach the interval at 0-0, but Ulsan picked up where they left off after it, with a volley from Junior once again bringing out the best in Crocombe. Ulsan boss Kim introduced a pair of internationals Norways Johnsen and Korea Republics Kim Tae-hwan at half-time, while Victory added Brandon Lauton, and the latter had his sides best chance of the match when he was put through on goal by Marco Rojas during a counterattack, but Jo Su-huks save kept the deadlock intact. But it would be one Ulsans new arrivals, the in-form Johnsen, who found the elusive opening goal, reacting quickest to steer a loose ball out of the reach of Crocombe and into the net in the 65th minute. It was Johnsen's third goal in two matches as a substitute, and Ulsan's depth came to the fore once again in the 77th minute, when an unmarked Won headed home a set-piece by Yoon, putting the Koreans out of sight at 2-0. Johnsen made it four in two matches when he poked home Ulsans third with four minutes remaining, stretching their winning streak in the competition to six, and putting them three wins away from a second AFC Champions League title. (QNA)