Entries Tagged 'Chunnam Dragons' ↓

I suggested yesterday that the Victory’s trip to Gwangyang, South Korea was little more than a friendly for both teams, with the Chunnam Dragons holding only the faintest hope of overtaking Gamba Osaka at the top of Group G.

The game reflected precisely how little was at stake, as both Melbourne and Chunnam churned out listless performances. There were stretches of pleasing play, but by the end I felt drained.

Perhaps I would have felt slightly more elated had I seen Tom Pondeljak’s goal. But the beauty of Viewers Choice meant that it took the pub until the 6th minute to figure out how to get the game showing.

Pondeljak’s strike was impressive, but I was also happy to note his excellent positioning behind Danny Allsopp. I remain convinced that long balls are ineffective as a means of attack, but they are all the more ineffective when the striker has no one behind him. Last night, Pondeljak was there to pick up the stray rebound, and he took his opportunity with finesse. Not bad, Tommy.

After the goal, Melbourne sat back and allowed the Dragons to attack. For 40 minutes. Painful stuff. A freakish goal from Ko Ki-Gu, from either a horrible pass or a devilish strike, brought Chunnam back on level terms. They deserved it.

Melbourne redeemed itself in the second half, while the Dragons deflated. Short, constructive passes in the midfield gave us humble spectators something to enjoy watching. Danny Allsopp had two fine chances to give Melbourne the lead, but narrowly missed on both occasions. Carlos Hernandez’ presence in the final 25 minutes gave some cause for optimism, as did Evan Berger’s short stint in the final five minutes (why Berger wasn’t brought on earlier instead of Caceres is beyond me).

In the end, it was a pointless affair for both teams, as Gamba Osaka’s 2-0 win over Chonburi FC ensures that Group G is effectively wrapped up. I hope that when the AFC reviews the Asian Champions League, it makes it possible for 2nd placed teams to progress to the next stage. If that had been the case last night, Melbourne and Chunnam would have had everything to play for. As it stands, the dominance of one team means dreary matches between teams that have nothing to play for.

Meanwhile, Adelaide United beat the Pohang Steelers 1-0 to keep themselves in the lead in their group. In their final match, they meet Changchun Yatai in China. A draw will be enough for them to progress to the quarterfinals.

Chunnam Dragons vs. Melbourne Victory airs on Foxsports 1 at 8pm tonight (viewers choice).

Gamba Osaka have all but wrapped up Group G of the Asian Champions League with their commanding lead. It would take an incredible dip in form for the J-League side to relinquish its place in the quarterfinals now. A draw against Chonburi FC tonight would be enough.

Which suggests that the other match in Group G, the Melbourne Victory’s away match against the Chunnam Dragons, is little more than a friendly. The Dragons may have a slim mathematical prospect of overtaking Gamba – they must win twice and Gamba must lose twice – their position is little better than the Victory’s, who are out of contention.

All this will make tonight’s match a very different affair to the first time these two sides met. That night, Melbourne grasped their debut in the ACL and delivered an impressive 2-0 win over the Dragons. A promising start. But sadly, that’s all it was.

The Dragons have picked up four points against Chonburi FC, putting them in third place. In their domestic competition, they are languishing among the bottom half of the table, with just two wins from eight.

After our premature elimination from the ACL, Ernie Merrick has the luxury of two meaningless matches (in the ACL), a meaningless friendly (against Juventus) and a moderately meaningless competition (the Pre-Season Cup) in which to prepare his squad for the A-League season 2008-09. A bittersweet luxury, to be sure, but one that he ought to capitalise on by ensuring his team is a well-oiled unit come August 16.

Merrick has promised to throw young Nathan Elasi into the mix, suggesting that Adrian Caceres, already on his way out, will lose his place in the team. Tom Pondeljak made his debut for the Victory two weeks ago, and he is expected to be in the starting 11, as Leigh Broxham misses tonight’s clash due to suspension. Carlos Hernández has recovered from his injury and will come in off the bench to help him regain his fitness. Hopefully, Kaz Patafta and Evan Berger will be given solid game time – especially Berger, who has had little time to prove himself on the field.

My tip: I think we can sneak away with a narrow win: 2-1.

Your tip?

Chonburi FC 3, Melbourne Victory 1

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8×8Eb3l4Pzg[/youtube]

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Melbourne Victory vs. Chunnam Dragons, 2 – 0

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APZrK2BDRvA[/youtube] Continue reading →

It was a defenders’ night, with Kevin Muscat and Rodrigo Vargas scoring a goal apiece to give Melbourne Victory a 2-0 win over the Chunnam Dragons. And a third defender, Matthew Kemp, won the penalty that would lead to the opening goal. With defenders like these, who needs strikers?

It looked like it could have been a long night for the Victory defense when Chunnam’s Ronaldo-lookalike, Victor Simoes, came dangerously close to getting in behind Muscat and Vargas in the first few minutes. But that did not prove to be indicative of what was to come, as Chunnam’s attackers rarely penetrated the Victory backline. A half-dozen shots from outside the penalty area constituted the bulk of the Dragons’ chances, while Michael Theoklitos made two critical saves to keep a clean sheet. Continue reading →

Melbourne Victory embarks on its maiden voyage into the realm of Asian competition tonight, hosting Korean FA Cup winners the Chunnam Dragons.

With 20,000 tickets sold and a relaxing of Telstra Dome rules for supporters, this should be a dramatic and memorable night.

There’s a whiff of confidence in the air. Ernie Merrick indicated earlier this week that he expects success in the Asian Champions League. For a coach fond of understatement, that’s a very bold proclamation. Continue reading →

This post continues our series of team profiles ahead of the Asian Champions League. Last week, we took an in-depth look at the Melbourne Victory. This week, we have a slightly less in-depth look at the Chunnam Dragons, the Victory’s first opponent in the ACL.

Chunnam Dragons:
City: Gwangyang, South Korea
Stadium: Gwang-Yang Stadium, capacity 14,284
Coach: Park hang-Seo

The Chunnam Dragons come into the 2008 Asian Champions League hoping to do better than in the 2007 ACL, when they crashed out at the group stage. Like last year, they qualified for the Asian Champions League by winning the Korean FA Cup. The FA Cup has been their only arena of success so far, having never won the K-League (the closest they ever came was runner-up way back in 1997). Last year, they finished 10th – very poor, considering it’s a 14-team competition.

So Chunnam are inconsistent but capable, beat-able but dangerous. I’m glad we have Chunnam in our group – not K-League champions the Pohang Steelers – but the Dragons should certainly not be underestimated. Continue reading →