Asia Elite Preview: Kobe’s home team’s record is acceptable, but Ulsan still faces relegation pressure
6686 Sports reported on November 5th that in the fourth round of the East Asia Region of the AFC Champions League, Kobe will face the challenge of Ulsan HD at the home team's stadium.
Kobe Shengjuan was held to a 2-2 draw by the away team Niigata Swans in the 35th round of the Japan Professional League on October 26. The team was chasing after the opponent with two goals in the lead, and the loopholes in the defense were obvious. In the final stage of the game, Niigata easily penetrated Kobe's defense through side counterattacks. Both full-backs of the team were replaced early in the game. Even if Takayuki Yoshida made his own adjustments, he could not escape the tragedy of losing the championship in the end.
Before the start of this game, Takayuki Yoshida hinted that he might rotate the lineup, and said that he might have been too tolerant to the players before. The team's midfielder Takahiro Ogihara said: "Playing more games is good for the team. Winning games can motivate the players and reserve players. I hope we can achieve good results tomorrow and build a good momentum."
Currently in the Japan Professional League standings, Kobe Shengfeng currently ranks fourth in the league with 18 wins, 8 draws and 9 losses. The team has basically determined that it will be difficult to complete consecutive championships this season, but they still need to catch up with the top three standings in order to participate in the AFC Champions League next season. In the 18 home team games in the league this season, Kobe won 10 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses and performed well. They conceded less than one goal per game and their defense was relatively solid. In the previous three rounds of the AFC Champions League, Kobe won against Shanghai Harbor and Melbourne City, but lost against Gangwon FC, which mainly defended and counterattacked.
In terms of lineup, Kobe attacker Daiki Sasaki has recovered from injury and returned to the game. The team's only second goalkeeper Shota Arai is unable to play. At the same time, U17 teenager Daisho Seguchi is still playing for the national team.
Ulsan HD lost to Anyang FC 1-3 in the away game in the league match on November 1. The team’s center back Kim Min Hyuk was red-blooded and left the field early in the game. Therefore, Anyang’s foreign aid group can “dominate” in the frontcourt and attack Ulsan HD’s defense, which is seriously lacking in mobility. In this game, Ulsan HD captain Kim Young-kwon was criticized for his continued poor performance. Interim coach Noh Sang-rae's on-the-spot management was also considered not fast enough. The team's only hope at present may be forward Lee Dong-kyung who has returned from military service.
Before the start of this game, Lu Xianglai stated at the press conference that he believed that the most important thing may be to avoid relegation in the league. At the same time, he brought along defender Lee Jae-yi, who is relatively young and has not had many playing opportunities, proving that there is a high probability of rotation in this game. Regarding this competition, Lee Jae-yi said: "I feel very honored to be able to go to Kobe to compete with such a strong team as Kobe KFC. I will be proud of Ulsan, work hard, and help Ulsan achieve better results."
Currently in the Korean K-League standings, Ulsan HD currently ranks fourth from the bottom with 10 wins, 10 draws and 13 losses, and is only two points away from the relegation zone. This is obviously unacceptable for the defending champion team. In the 17 away games in the league this season, Ulsan HD recorded 4 wins, 6 draws and 7 losses and performed extremely poorly, averaging more than one goal per game. The last time the team won an away game was against Jeju SK nearly 6 months ago.
In terms of lineup, Ulsan HD’s No. 5 Malcom has recovered from injury and returned to the game. At the same time, defender Yoon Jong-kyu has returned to the lineup. Lee Dong-kyung’s starting game in the last round of the league unfortunately did not work well, but at least he is available in the frontcourt.
In the previous matches between the two teams, Kobe won the game and had a psychological advantage with 1 win and 1 draw. In the previous AFC Champions League games, Ulsan HD's performance was quite satisfactory. The team defeated Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Chengdu Chengdu with a reserved lineup, and also drew with Shanghai Shenhua in the away game. In this game, Kobe will strive to get back on the winning track at home. Can Ulsan HD use the cup win to revive the competitive status of the league?
