Brazilian forward Leonardo has dished out another piece of Asian Champions heartache for Melbourne Victory and put Jeonbuk Motors into Asia’s last eight.
The A-League club tumbled out of Asia on Tuesday in Jeonju, South Korea, losing 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate to the K-League giants.
It was not to be for Victory’s departing trio of Archie Thompson, Kosta Barbarouses and Matthieu Delpierre, who will now leave the club.
Victory were stretched and ultimately dissembled by Jeonbuk, who boast a formidable record in the elite continental competition.
Just as he did in Melbourne, Leonardo proved lethal, scoring twice to decide the tie.
Besart Berisha’s late volley from substitute Jai Ingham’s cross gave Victory seven minutes to find a second, which would have put Victory ahead on away goals, but the hosts held on.
How Kevin Muscat’s side must hate Jeonju.
The loss came in the same city where their 2014 Asian campaign ended in the group stages.
In this tie, Leonardo’s class made the difference.
After equalising last week with an unstoppable free kick, the Brazilian put Jeonbuk ahead from another set piece.
Jason Geria’s foul after 29 minutes gave Leonardo the chance to strike from an acute angle and he made no mistake, bending the ball around the wall and with just venom that Lawrence Thomas’ weak glove could not stop it.
The goal put Victory on the back foot but Jeonbuk looked more likely to add to their tally and so it proved after 71 minutes.
Substitute Ricardo Lopes produced a fine cutback for his compatriot, the highest paid player in Korea, to thunder home a second.
Muscat added a dash of youth, bringing on Ingham, Jesse Makarounas and Connor Pain as he chased the contest.
Ingham’s dash down the right for Berisha brought Victory a way back into the game but there was to be no equaliser, as the A-League side again saw their hopes dashed at the hands of Jeonbuk.
Muscat said he was “bitterly disappointed” to crash out, ruing early chances not taken by Thompson.
“We had our opportunities early on … two good chances at 0-0 which would have made the game fairly different,” he said.
“To go behind to another free kick made life hard for us.
“In Melbourne we should have won that game and we made this game very difficult but I’m extremely proud of the group to get as far as we have.”
pauly
Guest
If we had Milligan rather than Bozanic, who knows.... If only me aunty.......
Josh
Guest
2 clubs made it out of the group stages, we should be proud of that. Next season hopefully all 3 make it out.
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
Your forgot to say, you also hate the Sydney Football Stadium... then you've just about covered it.. (as a SFC supporter :) )
Punter
Guest
Hate is such an awful word!!!! Envy is such awful thing!!!!!
Hulk
Guest
"A little bit like us WSW fans." Au contraire RBB Annonymous. WSW fans deservedly celebrated, and quite graciously I might add. Unlike your crosstown rivals who crow about being "the biggest club in the country", when they're clearly not in many aspects.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Probably covered most bases there with your comment :)
Hulk
Guest
"Though in a way glad Victory fell short, imagine if they went on to win the champions league, their fans would be insufferable." I hate SFC as a club and the brand of football they play. I hate their players, their fans and their manager... I hate their owners for failing to reach the true potential the club has (in most metrics but mainly the poor attendances), I even hate their playing strip, but I wish them well in the ACL. Why? Because they're an Australian club and the more success our clubs have in Asia the more benefit for our league and us as footballing nation. Did I mention I hate SFC fans because they're blindly parochial, self-sabotaging and short sighted? I probably should have.
jupiter53
Roar Pro
And so you should keep crowing. I hope to see Sydney getting another step closer to being able to do the same tonight.
Punter
Guest
When Brisbane was the most successful team in the A-League, you did not hear the crowing that MV did after they claimed back the most successful team in A-League history.
RbbAnonymous
Guest
A little bit like us WSW fans. We will crowing at least for a few more years yet.
Punter
Guest
Cannot disagree with your sentiments, both with Victory, they were not outplayed & also with your comment on the A-League. I remember playing these Asian teams in the first few years of the ACL, apart from one run from Adelaide, the A-League side were just chasing shadows, we are far more competitive these days. The bigger budgets of the Koreans, Japanese & especially the Chinese teams don't help. Though in a way glad Victory fell short, imagine if they went on to win the champions league, their fans would be insufferable.
Waz
Guest
Pretty much as RBB said above, over two legs Victory didn't disgrace themselves with the difference being the quality of a couple of individual players. Victory weren't in form this season and yet managed a credible ACL, had they hit last years form who knows how far they could have gone?
RbbAnonymous
Guest
A brave fight by Victory. They had their chances especially the one Archie should have buried. No disgrace losing to Jeonbuk who I thought were the better side on the night. The difference between the two sides was probably the class Brazilian Leonardo. Two stunning goals to sink the Victory. Still a long way to go for our A-league sides but we are definitely making progress in Asia.