Asian Champions League 2010

Reds show some steel for win
by BOTN

Group H - Round 1 - 1st Leg
7:00pm, Wednesday 24 February, 2010
at Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide


Adelaide United FC 1
(Matthew Leckie 45'+2)
defeated
Pohang Steelers FC 0


Adelaide United showed some steel to snatch a 1-0 win over ACL champions Pohang Steelers of South Korea tonight at Hindmarsh Stadium, with Matthew Leckie forcing the ball over the line in first half stoppage time.

Taking possession from Sergio van Dijk in his own half the 19 year old midfielder raced down field with three Pohang defenders closing in and no red shirts to support. Leckie swerved like a veteran and forced his way into the area, his tenacity and fearless approach creating confusion amongst defender Park Heechul and Steelers keeper Shin Hwa Yong. An attempted clearance by Park deflecting off the boot of Leckie and into the net to give Adelaide the lead, that despite Pohang's fluid play could not be countered.

IN the second half Mota and Alexandro both tried to get shots on target but where thwarted by Adelaide's tenacious, if ragged, defence. With Pohang needing to respond, the game started to open up, Travis Dodd had two opportunities, the best one coming on the hour mark when a sublime ball from van Dijk found Lucas Pantelis who in turn set up the captain, Dodd’s stinging effort flashing just wide of the target.

Entering his first AFC Champions League post match media conference a winner, Coach Joe Mullen could not have been prouder of the Reds’ efforts. It was a very good performance by the players. I thought tonight the defence was very sound…and our attacking movement was good when we could go forward, Mullen said. "Certainly the first 15-20 minutes was tough, we knew it was going to be tough, they (Pohang) are a very good football team and we had to weather that storm, and I thought we did that very well." "To get the goal right at the death of half time was a perfect time to score and that was just through sheer endeavour, commitment and tenacity from Leckie, and I thought that mirrored our performance of the whole team tonight, I thought the players were fantastic." "I think in the A-League it was fair to say that although the team was playing well in parts, they just failed to score at crucial periods of games and then when they went behind, it’s a self fulfilling prophesy that it’s going to be a tough day at the office," Mullen added. "I think with some players of the calibre of a van Dijk and Flores, particularly offensively, it has given the players that belief."

Unlike Melbourne, Adelaide United has a fortnight to recover before its next match on Wednesday 10 March against Shandong Luneng FC away in China.

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