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Negrao Breaks Vissel Hearts as Ulsan Set Up Persepolis Challenge

Former Muangthong United and Pattaya United striker Junior Negrao was the hero for South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai on Sunday, as his 119th minute penalty sent his team to the 2020 AFC Champions League final. Taking on Japan’s Vissel Kobe at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha in the ACL East Zone semifinal, Ulsan managed to recover from a goal down to emerge out as 2-1 winners after extra-time, albeit with two video assistant referee (VAR) decisions going their way.

Stripped of their influential captain Andres Iniesta due to injury, Vissel were still able to put up a spirited performance against the 2020 K League 1 runners-up, with the ACL debutants managing to withstand an immense Ulsan onslaught in the first half and coming out flying in the second half. Having being forced through 120 minutes of football and a tense penalty shootout en route to the semifinal by Ulsan’s countrymen in Suwon Samsung Bluewings on Thursday, Vissel were at the mercy of the likes of Lee Chung-young, Negrao, and Kim In-sung during the first 45, with the trio squandering their chances in front of Vissel goalkeeper Daiya Maekawa.

However, after the interval, Vissel emerged out from the changing rooms a completely different beast and managed to press the East Zone’s form team with a series of corner kicks, with a 52nd minute one setting the stage for the Hyogo Prefecture-based team’s opener.

A low pass from the corner flag by Takuya Yasui was seized by Hotaru Yamaguchi, who was unmarked within the Ulsan penalty box. Hotaru slammed a powerful shot at the incoming ball, with Ulsan goalkeeper Jo So-huk powerless to stop it.

Vissel intensified their pressure after their opener and Kim Kee-hee’s injury in the 68th minute gave advantage to Atsuhiro Miura’s men. Shortly after Kee-hee went off, substitute Daiju Sasaki took advantage of Jo being unable to clear the ball properly to double Vissel’s lead.

However, it was then that VAR played it’s role as a cruel angel of fate for Vissel and a goddess of salvation for Ulsan.

With the referee consulting the pitch-side monitor, the VAR has spotted a foul in the buildup for Daiju’s goal, prompting the referee to chalk the goal off much to the understandable furor, disappointment, and frustration of the Vissel supporters spectating the match from their homes.

VAR then enraged the Vissel camp further and sparked delight within their Ulsan counterparts in the 81st minute. Substitute Bjorn Johnsen deflected a Yoon Bit-garam pass into Maekawa’s goal, which was initially chalked off for offside by the referee. However, after consulting VAR, the referee decided to give Ulsan their equalizer after none of the Ulsan players were offside during the buildup of Johnsen’s goal.

In the dying minutes of the match, Maekawa stood strong to see off any chances from Ulsan to seal the game, while at the other end Douglas spurned a Vissel chance as his header was easily cancelled out by Jo’s gloves. With the scores tied at 1-1, extra-time beckons for the two teams.

Maekawa pulled of a string of excellent saves throughout the added 30 minutes as Douglas, bearing most of Vissel’s attacks himself due to Iniesta’s absence, was unable to make his chances count. With the match entering the closing stages of extra-time, Maekawa was finally undone in the 119th minute, with his decision to challenge an onrushing Negrao led to the goalkeeper fouling the Brazilian inside the penalty box – leaving the referee no choice but to award Ulsan a penalty.

Negrao took it upon himself to execute the penalty and after taking his sweet time, the 33-year old striker made no mistake with his execution, slamming home the penalty into the bottom left corner to send Ulsan into their second ACL final.

Awaiting Ulsan in December 19th final is Iranian giants Persepolis FC, with the Tehran side already booking their spot in the continental showpiece all the way back in October. Having already bottled both the 2020 K League 1 title and the 2020 Korean FA Cup final to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Ulsan will be determined to not let a third chance for a 2020 silverware slip through their fingers again and considering their impeccable form so far in the tournament after the restart, the Hyundai Heavy Industries-backed team will be favorites for the clash at the Al-Wakrah Sports Complex.