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| The first leg between Umm Salal and FC Seoul has given the rematch an edge [AFP] |
Whatever happens in the second leg of the Asian Champions League quarter-finals, the knockout stage has already had its share of controversy.
The eight teams have to put phantom goals, red cards and even alleged laser attacks behind them Wednesday as they vie for semi-finals spots and move one step closer to Fifa's Club World Cup in December.
Two South Korean clubs have much to do on the pitch to recover first-leg deficits and if they manage to do so, they will meet in the last four later next month.
FC Seoul have to come back from 3-2 down against Umm Salal of Qatar, though the second leg in the South Korean capital on Wednesday could have been much easier.
Unstoppable
Seoul were leading 2-1 in Doha before Ahn Tae-eun fired home an unstoppable shot that appeared to give the K-League leaders a two-goal cushion.
But the Seoul team's celebrations ended abruptly when Umm Salal went on the attack as play continued.
The goal had not been allowed despite Ahn's shot, which hit the underside of the crossbar, landing behind the line before bouncing out.
To make matters worse for Seoul, Umm Salal scored two late goals to win 3-2.
Privately, Seoul officials were seething but Seoul head coach Senol Gunes, who has been in trouble in the K-League for his vehement criticism of domestic referees, remained silent on the incident.
Seoul returned home to defeat Daejeon Citizen 3-0 on Sunday to remain atop the K-League, thanks largely to Jung Jo-gook's second two-goal performance in four days.
On Wednesday, Jung will be joined by returning captain Kim Chi-gon and midfielder Kim Han-yoon, who were suspended for the first leg and stayed home to rest.
"It wasn't easy to overcome the jetlag but on Sunday we showed that we have the right mental strength," Jung said.
"Our next objective is the second leg. Against Umm Salal we need to achieve a historic result and come from behind to win the game. I think that we will be strong at home."
Seoul will also be buoyed by the two away goals they brought home from Qatar.
Blame game
Pohang Steelers have a bigger task to come back from a 3-1 defeat in the Uzbekistan home of Bunyokdor, for which the club's Brazilian manager Sergio Farias blamed the referee.
"It is impossible to win a game when a referee like the one we had officiates the game," Farias said post-match.
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| Nagoya's Josh Kennedy will be vital if Grampus are to overturn a one-goal deficit [AFP] |
"I don't have to explain. If you saw the game you would know what I'm talking about. I don't even know why Kim Hyung-il was sent off."
With the scores level at 1-1 midway through the second half, Kim was shown a second yellow card following a challenge in which he could quite easily have been considered the victim.
Bunyodkor seized on the numerical advantage to score two late goals.
Pohang have to recover the deficit without Kim and despite the fact that, unlike the Uzbeks, they had a domestic game on Saturday just 24 hours after returning from Central Asia.
Farias also accused the Tashkent crowd of shining laser pointers in the eyes of goalkeeper Shin Hwa-yong.
The issue of lasers in stadiums has been a growing one in Asian football.
Last November, the South Korean national team made a similar complaint when playing against Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, as did Japan after a 2010 World Cup qualifier in Bahrain.
If Pohang and Seoul can overcome the defeats and perceived feelings of injustice, they will meet in the semi-finals.
The other two matches were free of controversy.
In the all-Japan clash, Nagoya Grampus were another away team that took the lead before eventually losing as Kawasaki Frontale rallied to win 2-1 at Tokyo's National Stadium.
Two-time champions Al Ittihad drew 1-1 at the Uzbekistan home of Pakhtakor ahead of the second leg in Saudi Arabia.
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