United City ends ACL 2021 campaign with comprehensive loss to Daegu

(image credits: the-AFC.com)

Philippines Football League (PFL) champions United City FC ended their maiden AFC Champions League campaign in defeat as K-League side Daegu FC handed them a 4-0 rout in their final Group I fixture earlier today at the Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Tsubasa Nishi, Lee Keun-ho, Edgar, and Jeong Chi-in all went on the scoresheet for Daegu, as they picked up where they left off after demolishing United City 7-0 in their first group stage encounter last June 29.

Careful to never repeat the trashing they suffered against the Korean side, United City put up a 5-4-1 formation, putting more men in defense to avoid conceding goals. Daegu tried to seize the initiative on offense to get an early goal but was forced to settle for long-range attempts, with Hwang Soon-min hitting the post in the 17th minute and Edgar’s outside-the-box solo effort comfortably saved by United City goalkeeper Anthony Pinthus in the 32nd minute.

Eventually, the breakthrough goal came for Daegu in the 37th minute as marauding forward Cesinha found the onrushing Tsubasa Nishi and provided a well-placed pass for the Japanese midfielder, who brushed Hikaru Minegishi to the ground and slotted the ball home past Pinthus.

United City got close to a sucker-punch equalizer three minutes later as Bienvenido Maranon tried to chip the ball from the right side of the penalty box, but Daegu goalkeeper Choi Young-eun was able to tip it away to the side.

(image credits: the-AFC.com)

Come the second half, Daegu upped the tempo and found themselves rewarded for it as they found United City’s defense tattered and struggling with their increased offensive activity. Just three minutes after the restart, veteran Lee Keun-ho scored a crafty finish for Daegu’s second goal, as he got to the end of Hong Jeong-un’s headed pass, leaving Pinthus helpless.

Keun-ho turned from scorer to provider in the 58th minute as he provided Edgar with a nifty through pass catching United City off guard for their third goal. Daegu added a fourth goal on 73 minutes as Cesinha provided another defense-splitting pass to substitute Jeong Chi-in, who left defender Justin Baas in the dust and produced a composed finish past Pinthus.

United City was unable to get anything going for their offense in the second half, with a stale midfield and disorganized attack not helping the cause of Jason Withe’s men as Daegu’s defense kept any attempt to break a counter from happening.

With this defeat ending their campaign, United City finishes their first-ever stint in Asia’s top club competition with four points (one win and one draw) from six matches and scoring four goals while conceding twenty-four for a -24 goal difference, which is tied with fellow Group I stragglers Beijing Guoan and is the second-worst goal difference in this year's competition.