AFC Champions League Final: Al Hilal, Pohang Steelers look for fourth title

DOHA: Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal face Pohang Steelers in the AFC Champions League final in Riyadh today with both teams looking to be the first to lift Asian club football’s biggest prize four times.

Here are some of the interesting points:

●Pohang Steelers have faced Saudi opposition only once before in the AFC Champions League. It also happened to be in the final against Al Ittihad in 2009 when Pohang Steelers were crowned AFC Champions League winners for the first time in their history (2-1). This will be the second appearance for Pohang Steelers in the Final of the competition after 2009.

● Al Hilal are playing in the AFC Champions League Final for the fourth time in their history – a record in the competition (winners in 2019, runners up in 2014 & 2017). They could become the first team to lose in the Final of the competition three times (currently tied on two with UAE side Al Ain and
Iranian side Persepolis).

● Al Hilal have lost their only two previous games against South Korean opposition without scoring a single goal. They faced Ulsan Hyundai in a two-legged quarter final in 2012, losing 0-1 at home and 0-4 away.

● South Korean teams have played in nine AFC Champions League Finals previously (winning six times) – more times than any other nation. Saudi clubs have featured in seven AFC Champions League Finals (the second most of any nation), winning three times. Saudi teams have faced
South Korean teams in three finals previously in the competition, losing in the last two such finals (Al Ittihad v Pohang Steelers in 2009, Al Hilal v Ulsan Hyundai in 2012).

● Al Hilal have only lost two of their last 16 games in the AFC Champions League (W11 D3 L2). They have won five consecutive games in the knockout stages of the competition for the first time in the club’s history. Only two teams in the competition have won 6+ knockout games in a row –
Guangzhou (2012-2013) and Ulsan Hyundai (2012-2018) with both teams winning a record seven consecutive knockout games.