Ok League sides in continental competitors will take to the sector for his or her first aggressive matches of 2026 in midweek, trying to shake off any rust and proceed their pursuits of 2025-2026 AFC Champions League glory.
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AFC Champions League Elite
Tuesday tenth February
Vissel Kobe (1st, JPN) vs. FC Seoul (fifth) – 19:00 KST
FC Seoul will play their first aggressive match of 2026 away to AFC Champions League Elite leaders Vissel Kobe, because the continent’s premier membership competitors resumes for Match Day 7. Seoul had been in respectable kind earlier than the winter break, incomes 5 factors from their final three ACLE outings, the final being a 1-1 draw with Melbourne Metropolis. Vissel Kobe, in the meantime, have been in a position to protect their place in first with a 2-2 draw at dwelling to Chengdu Rongcheng, making it three unbeaten following wins over Ulsan and Shanghai Shenhua. Kobe received their home marketing campaign up and working on Friday within the J1 100 12 months Imaginative and prescient League, away to Kyoto Sanga, drawing 1-1 then successful 4-1 on penalties.
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Kobe’s conflict with Ulsan was one in every of two towards Ok League opposition within the 2025-2026 version of the competitors, the opposite being an exciting 4-3 loss away to Gangwon. Seoul, in the meantime, have confronted J.League opposition simply as soon as up to now this marketing campaign, incomes a 1-1 draw away to Machida Zelvia final September. Kobe can be a tricky nut to crack for Seoul, with the J1 League champions main the best way for clear sheets with 4 and having proven their attacking prowess with the second-most touches within the field and the most effective shot conversion charge within the competitors of 18.8%. Seoul, in the meantime, rank first for correct passes per match, so can be anticipated to have a number of possession of the ball, regardless of being the away facet, and rank fourth for large probabilities created.
Seoul should be cautious of Yoshinori Muto, Kobe’s purpose scorer on Friday, who ranks second for pictures heading in the right direction per 90 with 2.7, ranks first for profitable dribbles (75%), and has two objectives and one help to his title within the ACL. The capital membership can be trying to new recruit Tune Min-kyu to fill Jesse Lingard’s footwear. Tune has featured in AFC membership competitions 18 instances, scoring 5 and aiding one.
Wednesday eleventh February
Gangwon FC (ninth) vs. Shanghai Port (twelfth, CHN) – 19:00 KST
Gangwon FC received off to an awesome begin of their debut ACL season, however kind tailed off in direction of the top of 2025, and now the Bears sit outdoors the qualification group. Jeong Kyung-ho’s males are ninth, however only a level behind Johor Darul Ta’zim, Buriram United, and Ulsan, and face basement facet Shanghai Port subsequent. The Chinese language Tremendous League giants have managed to select up simply two factors from their first six ACLE matches, owing to attracts with Sanfrecce Hiroshima and JDT. In addition they misplaced 3-1 to FC Seoul in what’s up to now their solely conflict with a Ok League facet this marketing campaign.
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Gangwon’s continental bow introduced a 2-1 dwelling win over Port’s metropolis neighbours Shanghai Shenhua, however was adopted up by a 1-0 loss away to Chengdu Rongcheng. Gangwon will look to regulate the sport with the lion’s share of possession, having racked up the best up to now amongst groups within the East facet of the competitors with 59.9%, however can be trying to get extra pictures heading in the right direction, rating ninth in that regard. Shanghai Port are the reigning Chinese language Tremendous League champions and weren’t among the many groups deducted factors for match fixing. Though unlikely, qualification to the Spherical of 16 continues to be mathematically attainable, however it might take two wins from their final two video games, and for outcomes elsewhere to go their means.
Kim Dae-won can be Gangwon’s participant to look at, creating 3.1 probabilities per 90 on common and 13 general because the Bears’ finest in that regard and the most effective amongst gamers within the East facet of the competitors. But when Gangwon can create probabilities, they’re going to must discover a well beyond Port goalkeeper Wei Chen, who ranks third for save share (81.8%) and first for saves per 90 with 6.8.
Ulsan HD (eighth) vs. Melbourne Metropolis (4th, AUS) – 19:00 KST
Ulsan HD start life beneath new supervisor Kim Hyun-seok with the go to of A-League Males facet Melbourne Metropolis. They accomplish that sitting simply contained in the qualification group for the Spherical of 16, however might want to begin choosing up wins if they’re to achieve the knockouts. The Horangi misplaced 3-1 away to Machida Zelvia of their final ACL outing, and are on a run of three with no win. Metropolis, in the meantime, sit fourth having put collectively a run of 4 matches unbeaten with three victories. Their most up-to-date outing was a really credible 1-1 draw away to FC Seoul. Domestically, Melbourne Metropolis are seventh within the desk following 5 wins, seven attracts and 5 losses, with simply two wins of their final six, nevertheless. On Saturday, Metropolis performed out a 1-1 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers.
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Ulsan rank fifth for pictures heading in the right direction per match with 4.8, however might want to enhance their conversion charge which stands at simply 7.8%. The Horangi have additionally discovered it exhausting to create significant probabilities, rating seventh for large probabilities with 12 and simply 5 objectives scored. Metropolis have been medical with seven objectives scored from 10 large probabilities, however 2.5 pictures heading in the right direction per match may not be sustainable. If Ulsan can defend nicely towards their A-League counterparts, they might emerge with all three factors.
Darijan Bojanic can be key to Ulsan once more this season and certainly this Wednesday. The Swede is first for correct passes per 90 at 68.9, whereas Max Caputo, regardless of being on the bench towards Wanderers on the weekend, is Metropolis’s prime scorer domestically with six and has two objectives in ACLE to date. It’s going to be the first-ever assembly between the 2 groups, however Ulsan have a file of 9 wins, three attracts and three losses versus Australian opposition, and are unbeaten of their final 9, whereas Metropolis have two wins and one draw from simply three conferences.
AFC Champions League Two Spherical of 16
Thursday twelfth February
Pohang Steelers vs. Gamba Osaka (JPN) – 19:00
In AFC Champions League Two, Pohang Steelers host Gamba Osaka on Thursday within the first leg of their Spherical of 16 tie. Pohang gained 4 of their six Group H matches, dropping only one however face a Gamba Osaka facet that gained all six of their Group F matches, maintaining 4 clear sheets and conceding simply two objectives. Gamba completed ninth within the J1 final season and managed simply 5 away wins from 19 matches. They started the brand new home marketing campaign with a 0-0 draw within the Osaka derby, however gained 5-4 on penalties, in what turned out to be a ten vs. 10 affair with Takeru Kishimoto despatched off on 84 minutes and Hayato Tanaka for Cerezo.
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Thursday’s contest would possibly show to be a good affair with each groups boasting stable defenses, conceding simply two objectives every up to now. Pohang have racked up probably the most possession up to now with 69.7%, whereas Gamba rank third in that regard with 68.6%, having each performed towards groups that defended in low blocks. Pohang rank third for pictures heading in the right direction per match with 6.5, whereas Gamba are the competitors’s finest passers wth 581.2 correct passes per match.
Pohang confronted Gamba within the 2012 ACL group stage, incomes two wins – 2-0 at dwelling and 3-0 away. Gamba have a file of eight wins, six attracts and 11 losses towards Ok League opposition over time, with the latest conferences being towards Jeonbuk in 2021. In Korea, Gamba’s file reads three wins, three attracts, and 5 losses.