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Adelaide United made an auspicious start to their 2010 AFC Champions League campaign after seeing off defending champion Pohang Steelers 1-0 at Hindmarsh Stadium.
Teenage striker Matthew Leckie pressured Pohang defender Hee Chul to stab the ball past his own goalkeeper in first-half injury time after breaking from the halfway line following a Pohang corner.
But the rising 19-year-old Adelaide star was credited with the crucial goal by match officials, the ball possibly having deflected off him last.
Despite finishing bottom of the A-League this season, United surprisingly fended off one of the tournament favourites.
The vital goal came out of nowhere with Leckie surrounded by defenders but managing to beat three of them before Hee Chul intercepted only to force the ball into his own net to thrill most of the 8374 fans.
Adelaide surprisingly had big-name signings Adam Griffiths and Nigel Boogaard as substitutes against the South Koreans but used short-term striker Sergio Van Dijk as their lone frontman.
But only Pohang’s rustiness in front of goal cost them the lead before half-time.
Brazilian stars Mota and Alexandro each snatched at chances in the penalty box in the first 10 minutes after excellent lead-up work from midfielder Tae Su and right-sided striker Byung Jun, who was carving up Socceroo hopeful Scott Jamieson.
Adelaide’s Argentinian midfielder Marcos Flores set up vice captain Lucas Pantelis in the 31st minute but he dragged his left foot drive across goal as Adelaide worked their way back into the game with aggression.
Mota fired just wide from long range in the 328th minute after a neat lay off but Pohang couldn’t convert their greater possession and 19-year-old Leckie made them pay dearly with his pace and hunger.
Adelaide grew in confidence after half-time and captain Travis Dodd weaved past two defenders in the 55th minute but had his low shot stopped by Pohang keeper Hwa Yong low to his right.
Dodd also powered a 15-metre drive just wide of the upright in the 61st minute after a neat pass from Pantelis, but the home side did enough in the end to ensure victory.
United also defeated Pohang twice in the group stage of the same competition two years ago to maintain a perfect record against the South Koreans.
Stand-in Adelaide United coach Joe Mullen pinpointed Leckie’s aggressive play up front as the vital ingredient in his side’s surprising turnaround from its poor A-League season.
“He’s got raw speed and real aggression and he turns it on in important parts of the pitch, the last third,” he said.
“So he puts defenders on the back foot.”
Mullen, Adelaide’s youth team coach, is standing in for regular coach Aurelio Vidmar during the AFC Champions League run while Vidmar completes his elite coaching courses to be eligible to be head coach in the competition.
Mullen said Adelaide had weathered the Pohang storm in the first 20 minutes before turning the tables on the champions.
“To get that goal just before halftime was great. It was a perfect time to score and it happened through Leckie’s sheer determination,” he said.
Pohang’s Brazilian coach Waldemar Lemos said Adelaide dined out on his team’s mistakes and won because of one crucial error.
He also found Adelaide’s nullifying tactics and the 36 fouls committed by both teams hard to take.
“I’m very frustrated because I don’t like this type of football,” he said.
“It’s not my style.”
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