“The players showed really strong desire and determination,” said Chung. “They executed our tactics perfectly in the second half. We have to maintain this kind of attitude going forward, and I’m thankful to the players for the effort they put in.

“It was our first match at home and, as the head coach, I’m very happy that we could give our supporters a victory. We have another league match coming quickly, so hopefully we can use this result to build momentum.”

Chung revealed that Jeonbuk expected Kashiwa would find it difficult to maintain their attacking intensity as the match progressed, with the hosts taking advantage after the restart.

“Kashiwa are a team that have a lot of possession and are made up mostly of domestic players, so we expected their energy levels to drop in the second half.

“Naturally, as a coach you want to be on a big stage like the ACLE. I’m very happy to have won my first match.”

Kashiwa head coach Ricardo Rodriguez admitted that Jeonbuk’s increased intensity in the second half had turned the contest after his side enjoyed the better start.

“We played well in the first half,” said Rodriguez. “We scored the opening goal and, especially in a difficult away match, it was important because it allowed us to take control of the atmosphere of the game.

“Jeonbuk understood our strengths and controlled them well. Although they conceded first, they came out with tremendous momentum and intensity in the second half. They scored twice and that allowed them to win.

“We created chances, but football is ultimately about scoring goals.”