S. Korean club Ulsan to face underdogs to launch AFC Champions League title defense

▲ In this Associated Press file photo from Dec. 19, 2020, members of Ulsan Hyundai FC celebrate winning the Asian Football Confederation Champions League title at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar. (Yonhap)

▲ In this Associated Press file photo from Dec. 19, 2020, members of Ulsan Hyundai FC celebrate winning the Asian Football Confederation Champions League title at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar. (Yonhap)

▲ In this EPA file photo from Dec. 1, 2020, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' players react to their 4-1 loss to Yokohama F. Marinos in their Group H match at the Asian Football Confederation Champions League at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar. (Yonhap)

▲ This file photo from Sept. 23, 2020, shows Pohang Steelers players celebrating an own goal by Ulsan Hyundai FC during the semifinals of the FA Cup tournament at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 415 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

▲ This file photo from Oct. 25, 2020, shows Daegu FC players celebrating a goal by Cesinha (2nd from L) against Pohang Steelers during a K League 1 match at DGB Daegu Bank Park in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

football-tournament

S. Korean club Ulsan to face underdogs to launch AFC Champions League title defense

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean side Ulsan Hyundai FC will take on heavy underdogs at the start of their title defense at Asia's top club football tournament in spring.

The draw for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League took place in Malaysia on Wednesday. Ulsan, the reigning champions, ended up in Group F with BG Pathum United of Thailand and Viettel of Vietnam. The fourth team in the group will be one of the playoff winners.

Clubs from Thailand and Vietnam are typically considered a notch or two below teams from South Korea's K League. Ulsan claimed the 2020 AFC title by beating Persepolis FC of Iran in the final last month in Qatar.

Ulsan will be playing for the fifth straight year and their 10th overall.

Another K League side, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, will be in Group H against Gamba Osaka of Japan, Tampines Rovers of Singapore and Sydney FC of Australia.

Jeonbuk, the 2016 AFC title holders, will be making their fourth consecutive appearance and 14th overall. Jeonbuk won the K League 1 and the Korean FA Cup titles last year but their bid for a treble -- winning three major trophies in one season -- fell flat with the group stage elimination at the AFC Champions League.

The group stage for teams in the East zone -- South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and Thailand, among others -- will kick off on April 21.

Two other South Korean clubs, Pohang Steelers and Daegu FC, are in the one-and-done playoffs on April 14 with a group stage spot at stake. Pohang will face Ratchaburi Mitr Phol of Thailand, while Daegu will also take on a Thai side, Chiangrai United.

Pohang, the 2009 champions, will be making their eighth appearance and first since 2016.

Daegu FC are in the tournament for the second time. They made their AFC debut in 2019 but missed out on last year's competition.

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