AFC Champions League Elite
The Korea Republic champions picked up their first points of the campaign as Yago Carillo and Kang Min-woo scored in the 58th and 66th minutes respectively to cancel out Andre Luis’ 23rd minute opener for the home side.
The result moves Ulsan off the bottom of the standings and, with two games remaining in the league phase, the two-time champions can still qualify for the last 16. Shenhua, meanwhile, remain on seven points and just outside the eight qualification places.
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Ulsan had a stellar first half performance from goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo to thank for the win, the Korea Republic international pulling off several saves in the opening 45 minutes to keep Kim’s team in the contest as Shenhua threatened to run away with the game.
Zhu Chenjie headed Wang Haijian’s corner over the bar in the seventh minute as Shenhua sought an early goal while Andre Luis forced Jo to dive to his right to keep out the Brazilian’s 25 yard strike to the Ulsan goalkeeper’s right six minutes later.
Jo had to be at his sharpest again in the 22nd minute to save from Ataru Esaka when he redirected Cephas Malele’s cutback towards his own goal, dropping to his right to palm the ball wide.
From the resulting corner Shenhua took the lead as Luis rose highest to meet Xie Pengfei’s set-piece, steering the header over Esaka, who was stationed on the goal line.
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Malele threatened again when he bore down on Jo’s goal but a last-gasp tackle by Yun Il-lok prevented the striker from doubling Shenhua’s lead while the forward shot straight at the goalkeeper moments later after being set up by Shinichi Chan.
Yago dragged his miss-hit shot across the face of the Shenhua goal in a rare sortie forward for the visitors in the 38th minute but it was the hosts who went closest to adding a second before the interval.
Jo rescued his side again with a remarkable double save as Chan’s long throw was allowed to bounce by Kim Young-gwon and the goalkeeper brilliantly saved at point-blank range, first from Jiang Shenglong and then Malele.
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Gustav Ludwigson shot across the face of the Shenhua goal nine minutes into the second half as Ulsan sought an equaliser and a way back into a game Kim’s side needed to win to keep alive their hopes of a place in the last 16.
Bao Yaxiong’s late challenge on Yago prompted referee Salman Falahi to point to the spot and the Brazilian climbed off the turf to score into the bottom corner.
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Esaka then cleared Jiang’s goal-bound attempt off the line as Shenhua sought to reclaim the lead but it was Ulsan who hit the winner in the 66th minute, Kang meeting the Japanese midfielder’s corner with a downward header that gave Bao no chance.
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