Thank you, Jo Yu Min! FC Seoul confirmed to go straight to the ACLE finals after a long struggle...97 min: Theater goal Sharjah beats Ryan City 21 to win ACL2

May 18, 2025

photo courtesy of the Korea Professional Football Association

FC Seoul will 'directly' on the Asian Champions League Elite stage.

The UAE club Sharjah, which includes Cho Yoo-min, beat home team Ryan City (Singapore) 2-1 in the final of the 2024-2025 Asian Champions League 2 (ACL2) held at Bishan Stadium in Singapore on the 18th (Korea time), confirming Seoul's direct advance to the finals.

Seoul, which secured a ticket to the ACLE playoffs by ranking fourth in the K League 1 in 2024, was destined to decide whether to go straight to the finals or not depending on the results of the finals. The ACL2 winner will secure a place in the ACLE playoffs next season, and if Sharjah wins, Seoul could go straight to the finals without going through the playoffs. This is because Seoul's East Asian PO counterpart will disappear. In the 14th round of the K League 1 against Daegu held this afternoon, Seoul won 1-0 with the winning goal of Banks, and won seven consecutive games.

As a result, Seoul will play in the ACLE finals for the first time in five years since 2020. In the K-League, three teams, Ulsan, the winner of the K-League 1 in 2024, and Gangwon, the runner-up, will challenge the best stage of the Asian club. Gimcheon Sangmu, who finished third in the 2024 season in the league, was unable to advance to the Asian stage due to the nature of the military team, so the ticket was handed over to Seoul, the next-ranked team. The ACLE League Stage (group league) for the 2025-2026 season will be held for five months from September 15 to February 18, 2026. The draw will be held on August 15 local time. Seoul is expected to prepare for the second half of the year in line with the ACLE schedule. Pohang will play in ACL2 as the winner of the Korea Cup.

Ryan City midfielders Song Eui-young and Cho Yoo-min started side by side in the ACL2 final and played full-time, enjoying 'Korean Derby'.

Sharjah, who has been led by coach Cosmin Olaroyu since 2021 under the stage name 'Oli' at Suwon Samsung in the 1990s, led by Cao Lucas' first goal in the 11th minute of the first half. Lucas, who was handed a space pass, calmly shook the net away from the goalkeeper, but it was canceled by an offside foul.

In the 34th minute of the first half, Ryan City's Diogo Costa's mid-range shot hit the left post. The first half ended without a goal.

In the 18th minute of the second half, Ryan City once again had a golden chance. Bart Ramsella's shot, which was handed a pass in the counterattack, was slightly off the post.

In the 23rd minute of the second half, Sharjah striker Usman Diarra's no-mark header missed the post from a corner.

Sharjah, who was constantly tapping, eventually scored the first goal in the 29th minute of the second half. Khaled Ephraheim's cross from the right side of the box was pushed into the net by Ben Al Arbi.

In the 35th minute of the second half, Sharjah had a chance to run away. Marcus Meloni's direct free kick hit the Lion City goalkeeper's hand. Cho Yoo-min pushed it back to the header, but the ball hit the forehead and missed over the net. Cho Yoo-min lay on the floor and expressed regret.

Ryan City had a chance after the crisis. In the first minute of second-half stoppage time, Maxim Restien scored a dramatic equalizer with a shot into the corner of the goal in the box.

But Sharjah didn't give up either. Seven minutes into the second half, Marcus Meloni beat Markman with a fantastic individual skill from the left side of the opponent's box and made 'Winning Goal' with a shot that stabbed the corner of the goal. The match ended in Sharjah's 2-1 victory.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.