Posted on Apr 19
Adelaide United said planning was the key to success in Asia after the 2008 runners-up came through qualifying to stand on the verge of the AFC Champions League knock-out stages.
Adelaide, marshalled by caretaker boss Luciano Trani, raced to the top of Group E courtesy of Wednesday's 1-0 win over Pohang Steelers, sealed in the last minute by a Bruce Djite header.
The Reds have now won three of their four games and can take their place in the round of 16 when they host Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor on May 2 -- 10 weeks after overcoming Indonesia's Persipura Jayapura in the play-offs.
Adelaide, who finished this year's A-League second-last, are the only Australian team likely to make the knock-outs with domestic champions Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners all but eliminated.
"I think our success has been in understanding the competition's limitations, understanding that Asian teams provide a different type of game and realising you must approach the game slightly different (to the A-League)," Trani said on the Football Federation Australia website.
"It's also about coming up with a balanced game plan that provides an opportunity to come out winning a game, which is probably the main key to when playing against teams in Asia."
Trani was deputising for regular coach John Kosmina, who heads a club in difficult times. Crowds are so low at Hindmarsh Stadium that some of the grandstand has been closed, according to the Adelaide Advertiser.
But the Reds showed tremendous courage in Wednesday's last-gasp win exemplified by goalkeeper-captain Eugene Galekovic, whose commanding display made up for gifting a decisive own goal in their previous game.
"When the chips are down Eugene will come up strong and (this) was again another brilliant performance," Trani said. "Eugene has come a long way in terms of his journey as a footballer. He led at the front and by example."
He added: "We have fought through some huge hurdles this year and now we are seeing the benefits of it, and it's a credit to the players and coaching staff.
"This win sets us up in a very good position to qualify... We just have to make sure that we get a positive result in our next home game against Bunyodkor."
This week's other big movers were wealthy Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande, who ignited a poor campaign by Super League teams by convincingly beating Japan's Kashiwa Reysol 3-1 to top Group H.
Coach Lee Jang-Soo said Guangzhou were fighting for the pride of Chinese football after Beijing Guoan fell out of the reckoning with a 3-0 loss to FC Tokyo. Tianjin Teda are third of four teams in Group G.
"When we heard Beijing were two goals down in Tokyo, we understood that we would have to shoulder the responsibility," said South Korean Lee.
"Just as club owner Xu Jiayin said, we fight not only for ourselves, but also for the name of Chinese clubs."
Elsewhere UAE's Al Jazira became the first team to book their place in the knock-outs after a 1-1 draw with Esteghlal in Group A, while two-time winners Al Ittihad stayed unbeaten in Group B.
Adelaide United's Daniel Mullen (L) and Pohang Steeler's Byung Jun during their AFC Champions League game on April 18. Adelaide United said planning was the key to success in Asia after the 2008 runners-up came through qualifying to stand on the verge of the AFC Champions League knock-out stages.
Adelaide United's Daniel Mullen (L) and Pohang Steeler's Byung Jun during their AFC Champions League game on April 18. Adelaide United said planning was the key to success in Asia after the 2008 runners-up came through qualifying to stand on the verge of the AFC Champions League knock-out stages.