Preview of the Asian Elite Cup: Yokohama Needs to Redeem Itself After a Debacle, Ulsan Sees Hope for First Victory

At 18:00 on October 2nd, in the second round of the East Asia Zone of the Asian Champions Elite League, Yokohama F. Marinos will host Ulsan HD. In the first round, Yokohama F. Marinos was humiliated by K League’s Gwangju FC with a 7-3 defeat, setting a record for the most goals conceded by a Japanese team in a single AFC Champions League match. This humiliating loss has enraged the club management and is a score that could shatter the team’s confidence. On the other hand, Ulsan HD was defeated by J League powerhouse Kawasaki Frontale with a narrow margin of one goal, which, although not a large difference, did somewhat salvage some face for the humiliated Yokohama, and even the J League. This time, two teams that both suffered defeats in their opening matches will clash head-on. Who will come out on top?

After the crushing defeat to Gwangju, returning to the league, Yokohama F. Marinos continued to suffer two more consecutive losses. They lost 2-6 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima and 1-3 to FC Tokyo, dropping to 10th place in the standings. The root cause is defense, which has become an insurmountable obstacle for Yokohama. In 31 league games, they have conceded 53 goals, only fewer than the bottom two teams in the league, Consadole Sapporo (57) and Sagan Tosu (62). This also explains why Gwangju could unleash seven goals against them. Another undeniable fact is that despite its lackluster defense, Yokohama F. Marinos boasts a robust offensive firepower. In the league, they have scored a total of 52 goals, second only to the league leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima (63). They don’t lack goals but concede without hesitation, leading to a serious imbalance between attack and defense, which is not conducive to going far in the AFC Champions League.

Ulsan HD is currently the leader of the K League. After narrowly losing to Kawasaki Frontale in the first round, Ulsan HD returned to the league and drew 0-0 with Incheon United before defeating Daejeon Citizen 1-0. However, Gyeongnam FC behind them has used a string of victories to further narrow the points gap with Ulsan. The secret to Ulsan’s dominance in the league is balanced offense and defense. Although 51 goals do not make them the top scorers in the league, they are among the top two. Their 35 conceded goals make them the undisputed defensive experts in the league.

Statistics show that the two teams have met twice, in the last edition of the AFC Champions League East Asia Zone final before the format change, and the matches were fiercely contested. In the first leg, Ulsan HD beat Yokohama F. Marinos 1-0. In the second leg, Yokohama, returning home, tied the aggregate score at 3-2. However, a red card in the first half turned the second half into a shooting exhibition for Ulsan HD. Nevertheless, luck did not remain on Ulsan’s side in subsequent matches, as Yokohama players dragged the game to a penalty shootout with tenacious defense. Ultimately, they eliminated the opponent via penalties and advanced to the AFC Champions League final.

The offensive prowess of Yokohama F. Marinos is largely due to Lopez, who has scored 19 goals in the league alone. Thanks to his strong output, Yokohama has had the opportunity to use offense to make up for defensive shortcomings. In the past five league matches, Lopez scored five goals, showing excellent form in front of the goal. The rapidly deteriorating league situation, fortunately, without relegation pressure, may force Yokohama to throw caution to the wind and focus more on the AFC Champions League.

In contrast, Ulsan HD is a team effort, with goals distributed evenly among players. Top scorer Cho Min-gyu has scored eight goals, Ludwigsen has six, Kang Sang-oon and Yeom Won-sang each have four. The loss to Kawasaki Frontale in the first match has left the entire team with a burning desire for victory. Facing a slightly weaker Yokohama F. Marinos this time, Ulsan’s goal is likely not just a simple win.

A few months ago, Yokohama F. Marinos thwarted Ulsan HD’s ambition to reach the AFC Champions League final. A few months later, Yokohama is in shambles while Ulsan dominates the league. Can Ulsan achieve revenge this time?

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