TOKYO: Skipper Sasa Ognenovski opened the scoring to lead Seongnam Ilhwa of South Korea to a 3-1 win over Iran's Zobahan and to claim the AFC Champions League final Saturday for the first time in the club's history. A Korean throw-in created confusion in the goal-mouth, allowing Ognenovski to profit from the chaos and score in the 29th minute. The goal provided an ideal platform for the South Korean side and eight minutes after the break, defender Cho Byung-kuk made it 2-0 as he headed home from a corner. Having threatened a fightback, Zobahan reduced the deficit in the 67th minute when Mohammadreza Khala scored after goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryong parried a shot. But Seongnam restored its two goal lead through Kim Cheol-ho, who tucked away a rebound off a Zobahan defender in the 83rd minute. Seongnam coach Shin Tae-Yong praised Ognenovski, who played a part in all three goals. “I'm very, very happy. It's a great feeling. I cannot express it in a few words,” he said. “When I was in Australia, I stayed with him (Ognenovski) for one year. So I really wanted him when I became the Seongnam coach. He struggled last season, but he integrated himself really well into Korean football. He is the best defender in the K-League.” Shin said South Korea also had an advantage over their Iranian opponents playing in Tokyo due to the small time difference between South Korea and Japan. “If it was a home-and-away final, I'm sure we would have had a tough time, because of a long journey to Iran. It was a big help that we played in Tokyo,” said the 40-year-old. The AFC Champions League winner will compete in next month's FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, where it will face the winner of the tie between hosts Al-Wahda and OFC champion Hekari United for the chance to play Inter Milan in the semifinals. Seongnam is South Korea's most successful club with seven K-League titles and it hasmade regular appearances in Asia's club competitions, winning the Asian Club Championship in 1995. It also reached the AFC Champions League final in 2004 and the semifinals in 2007. Zobahan has knocked out some of Asia's biggest clubs on the way to the final including holders Pohang Steelers, Uzbek champion Bunyodkor, two-time winner Al-Ittihad and Saudi giant Al-Hilal in the semifinal. It was a third victory for South Korea, following triumphs by Jeonbuk Motors in 2006 and Pohang Steelers in 2009, while Japan and Saudi Arabia have won twice and the United Arab Emirates once. – Agence France
