Captain fantastic: Nguyễn Anh Đức of Becamex Bình Dương has scored both of his teams goals in the AFC Champions League. Photo bongdaso.com

Football

HÀ NỘI – Việt Nam’s Becamex Bình Dương will face an uphill battle for points in the Asian Champions League when they take on South Korean champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors away from home, this evening.

The Vietnamese squad arrived in Jeonbuk City on Sunday to prepare for the fixture, their third Group E match.

The Vietnamese team will have to grapple with the cold weather as well as superior opponents in the South Koreans.

The visitors are coming off the back of a disappointing 1-2 reverse to Sông Lam Nghệ An in the V.League last Thursday.

They will also miss dynamic midfielder Oloya Moses who didn’t travel with the squad due to injury.

But Becamex Bình Dương, who drew at home to Jiangsu last month before losing 1-3 to FC Tokyo two weeks ago, will be encouraged by a draw with Jeonbuk in the group stage last year.

“We know Jeonbuk well,” said Becamex Bình Dương coach Nguyễn Thanh Sơn.

“It is good to be back here and we are very satisfied with the facilities that Jeonbuk have made available to us.

“While we lost 3-0 here last year, we drew 1-1 at home and we have been watching Jeonbuk’s games so far this season.

“Lee Dong-gook and Kim Shin-wook are Jeonbuk’s key players I think, and we will have to watch them very closely. We will do our best to show how much we have improved,” he said.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors won on the opening day of the K.League against FC Seoul thanks to a second-half strike from new signing Kim Shin-wook on Saturday.

The team’s coach, Choi Kang-hee, is looking for his team to get back on track with a win at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.

Jeonbuk followed up an opening day victory over Japan’s FC Tokyo last month with a 2-3 defeat at Jiangsu FC at the start of March.

Those results leave the 2006 champions second in the group just a point behind early pacesetters Jiangsu.

“As much as the last game against Jiangsu was a frustrating game for us, we have to play well and get a good result,” Choi told the-afc.com.

“It doesn’t matter who we play at home, we can beat any team. Our target is to progress to the next round by winning the group and we are looking to score goals. This is the third game out of six and we are looking forward to the challenge,” he said.

“There will be some changes. Playing Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday is a physical burden for the players and can take its toll.”

The other match of the group will be between hosts FC Tokyo and Jiangsu FC.-- VNS