No ACL final repeat as Jets bow out
There will be no repeat of an Australian team in the AFC Champions League final later this year, after Newcastle Jets was unceremoniously bundled out of the competition 6-0 by Korean team Pohang Steelers.
The Jets were looking to progress past the Round of 16 and try and emulate Adelaide United's achievement of progressing to the final in last year's competition. But it was always going to be tough for the Jets, who haven-t played a meaningful game for a month and were up against one of the form teams in Korea and the ACL competition at the moment.
The Jets needed to keep Pohang scoreless early and work there way into the game, but that plan was soon thrown out the window when Brazilian Denilson, was brought down by Jason Hoffman inside the penalty box after just nine minutes. The striker picked himself off the turf, to send Ben Kennedy from the spot kick and Pohang led 1-0.
That lead was doubled in the 15th minute, when fill in central defender Jobe Wheelhouse was horribly dispossessed 40 metres out by Choi Hyo-jin and the Korean went through and finally managed to beat Kennedy one-on-one, despite the keeper almost foiling the Korean striker.
Newcastle managed to stem the tide till the break, although only just with several more penalties appeals waved away by the referee and another goal disallowed.
The Jets started the second half strongly, but were undone ten minutes after the break when Denilson played the ball into the penalty area for Kim Jae-sung who hit an unstoppable shot inch perfect inside the top corner of the near post, which left Kennedy stunned.
Matt Thompson went close soon after with a shot, but Pohang were in no mood to let up and Denilson set up Choi for his second from 10 metres out.
Choi completed his hat-trick with a little under 20 minutes to go, with a glancing header that looped over a stranded Kennedy and the scoring was completed by substitute Stevica Ristic when he scored from the edge of the box.
Unfortunately for the Jets they won-t have much time to rest, as they need to start preparations for upcoming Hyundai A-League season, which begins in early August.