AFC Champions League: Melbourne Victory lose round-of-16 clash to Ulsan Hyundai

Melbourne Victory have been knocked out of the AFC Champions League by South Korean club Ulsan Hyundai.

Marco Rojas (left) and Jake Brimmer console each other after Melbourne Victory’s AFC Champions League round-of-16 loss to Ulsan Hyundai. Picture: Simon Holmes/Getty Images

Melbourne Victory’s AFC Champions League campaign is over after a 3-0 loss to Ulsan Hyundai.

The only A-League club to have reached the knockout stages of the competition in Qatar, the Victory’s journey ended overnight in the round-of-16 stage against the South Korean giants.

The Victory were on level terms until the 65th minute when Norway international striker Bjorn Maars Johnsen scored for Ulsan.

Won Du-Jae doubled Ulsan’s lead 12 minutes later, with Johnsen sealing the Victory’s fate with his second goal of the matches in the 86th minute.

HIGHLIGHTS | 🇰🇷 Ulsan Hyundai 3-0 @gomvfc 🇦🇺

🎥 A trio of second half goals send Ulsan to the #ACL2020 Quarter-Finals.

📰 #ULSvMVC Match Report: https://t.co/IGs2R2PyKM pic.twitter.com/hb4emBFlHS

— #ACL2020 (@TheAFCCL) December 6, 2020

The Victory were forced to make a replacement in just the 14th minute when substitute So Nishikawa was brought on for injured left back Adama Traore.

Victory assistant coach Steve Kean was adamant the scoreline was not a true reflection of the match.

“We are disappointed to be leaving the competition,” Kean said.

“I think the result as it reads is a flat result, and in the press it will look like we’ve been beaten and beaten well, but I don’t believe that.”

The Victory squad now returns to Australia ahead of two weeks in hotel quarantine.

They will be allowed to train while in quarantine to allow them to prepare for their first match of the new A-League season on January 2 against Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park.

Originally published as AFC Champions League: Melbourne Victory lose round-of-16 clash to Ulsan Hyundai