Key Takeaways from AFC Champions League Matchday One: The Approach

Key Takeaways from AFC Champions League Matchday One: The Approach Image Daejeon Hana Citizen are using ACL as motivation; Pohang Steelers, FC Seoul, and Gangwon FC are using it for rotation, while Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are showing determination. Matchday One is now done and dusted in both the AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League Two, and the five K League clubs involved look to have signalled their intent for this season's competition. The AFC Champions League returned this week, and did so with more K League teams involved than ever. Across the two top competitions, AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League Two, K League was represented by five clubs. For some with domestic season struggles, the competition could serve as a chance for redemption. For others, it could be the chance to win a first-ever Asian title. Furthemore, with one more round to go before a two-week international break, there would be no need to make wholesale changes to starting lineups, would there? It seems some managers didn't see it like that. Daejeon Hana Citizen 1-0 Kyoto Sanga Daejeon Hana Citizen got off to the best possible start to their first AFC Champions League campaign in 23 years, seeing off the challenge of Kyoto Sanga 1-0 at home. It was as strong as a starting lineup as Hwang Sun-hong could have picked, underscoring where the competition stands, and it was a game that Daejeon grew into. There was a hint of nerves in the first half, and Kyoto Sanga were that little bit sharper and more aggressive. But in the second half, even after Gustav Ludwigson's goal was chalked off, the home side took control of what could be seen as the unofficial Korea-Japan Purple derby. Victor Bobsin got the game's only goal, his third in as many matches for Daejeon, with another stunning strike from outside the box 12 minutes from time. The competition is being used to help spur the Purples on for the remainder of the domestic season. Daejeon defender Kang Yoon-seong told InterFootball afterwards that this first taste of ACL will provide motivation to qualify again next season. "Playing in the ACLE for the first time, I really got a taste of it. It made me want to be in it again next year. We can't qualify with our current league position, so we need to improve. The players are all clearly aware of this. I think this match will make the other players want to play in the ACLE again next year as well. Since we have to be better than other teams in the league and beat them to qualify, I think the players will mentally prepare themselves starting from the next match against Incheon and put on a good performance. I think this has served as an opportunity for us to gain a little more confidence." Manager Hwang Sun-hong, meanwhile, found motivation from a tactical standpoint, and said so in the post-match press conference, as reported by Sports-G . "As you have seen, the speed and intensity of pressing by J.League teams are absolutely outstanding. If that cannot be overcome, I believe Korean football and the K League cannot develop further. K League also needs to think about that kind of tempo, even within. I think we need to manage the game more proactively. If you lose a battle of energy levels, football ends with a defensive hold. "What was disappointing was that, even while controlling the game, there was a lack of finesse in the attacking areas, as well as in the link-up play and the moments when we created chances. When controlling the game, you need to improve your composure and pay closer attention to detail. K League really needs to think a lot about tempo. We don’t know what will happen in this year’s K League and J.League. We will try to play to the best of our abilities, but a difference in tempo is something that should be looked at. We need to think about that aspect." Beijing FC 3-1 Pohang Steelers Pohang Steelers, meanwhile, are seemingly not taking the ACL too seriously. Park Tae-ha changed his entire first XI from the last league game, a 2-2 draw away to Daejeon, for the trip to the Chinese capital. It meant a 3-1 loss away to Beijing FC. But Park Tae-ha said afterwards, as carried by Sports Chosun , that squad rotation was done with the busy schedule in mind. “As this was our first ACL Elite match, we prepared with the aim of winning. However, given the recent tight league schedule, we also had to take the players’ physical condition into consideration, so we prepared with a focus on players who had played fewer minutes. I thought we had prepared well in our own way, but it’s disappointing that the plan we had worked on was disrupted by mistakes early in the game.” Park stressed that improvement, rather than the defeat itself, was what mattered. “But this was only our first game, and when we return to Korea, we need to gradually work on improving these areas in the league. Football doesn’t end after one game, so I hope the players will take responsibility for and accept the mistakes they made today, without dwelling too much on what has already happened, and instead focus on the next game. We’ll work on addressing the areas where we’ve fallen short in the league and prepare ourselves to produce a good result in the second leg.” Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-1 Kashiwa Reysol Determination helped Jeonbuk earn all three points at home against Kashiwa Reysol, and determination will be what this competition will mean for the Green Warriors - to show that there is something worth fighting for. Jeonbuk are out of the Korea Cup and out of the title race, so the AFC Champions League Elite is a chance for Chung Jung-yong to restore some pride. Jeonbuk went a goal down with 30 minutes on the clock via a Kenshin Yuba strike, left-footed from outside the box into the bottom corner. But Tiago Orobo headed Jeonbuk back level three minutes after the restart, six yards out from a Kin Tae-hwan cross, before Italo turned the game on its head in the 69th minute. It was Jeonbuk's first ACLE match since March 2024 and first win in the competition since February 2024. FC Seoul 0-1 Persib Bandung FC Seoul were in AFC Champions League Elite last season, and despite finishing sixth in K League 1 in 2025, they managed to qualify for ACL Two. But it seems that the club see it as merely a competition to develop young players. Even with a two-week break approaching, and with a 15-point lead at the top of the table,  FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-dong opted to give first-team minutes to some fringe players and youngsters for the club's AFC Champions League Two Group E opener with Indonesian side Persib Bandung. There were debuts for left back Shin Ji-seop, 18, and midfielders Ko Pil-gwan, 19, and Kim Min-jun, 23. There was also a first appearance in three years for centre back Lee Sang-min, first for FC Seoul in nearly four years, whose injury nightmare may have led fans to think that he would never play for the club again. Kitchee SC 0-0 Gangwon FC Gangwon, too, were in ACL Elite last year, but a playoff loss to Gamba Osaka meant that the Bears had to settle for ACL Two instead. Looking a gift horse in the mouth, manager Chung Kyung-ho opted to field a mix of second- or third-string players for the Group H opener away to Kitchee of Hong Kong. The 0-0 draw wasn't much to write home about, but the club did set a new record by fielding right back Choi Jae-hyeok, who became the club's youngest-ever debutant at 16 years, 10 months, and 13 days. There was also a club debut for centre back Kang Seong-yun, 23, a first start and full 90 minutes for centre back Ko Eun-seok, 21, as well as first starts for left back Lee Hyo-bin, 19, midfielder Lee Yong-jae, 18, attacking midfielder Choi Ji-nam, 19, and strikerYoo Byung-heon, 20.