PETALING JAYA: Malaysian football giants Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) eased past South Korean league champions Ulsan Hyundai 3-0 in their Asian Champions League Elite (ACLE) Group A tie tonight, marking a bitter return to Malaysia for former Harimau Malaya head coach Kim Pan Gon.
Pan Gon, who announced a shock exit from Harimau Malaya in July, saw his side fall behind in the eighth minute when JDT winger Arif Aiman Hanapi intercepted a pass before curling a low shot past Ulsan goalkeeper Joo Hyeon Woo, reported Bernama.
The visitors nearly equalised in the 52nd minute, but Yun Il-lok’s powerful shot hit the crossbar at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri.
The Southern Tigers doubled their lead in the 67th minute when Spanish import Oscar Arribas’s shot from outside the box took a deflection before dipping into the Ulsan net.
Bergson da Silva sealed the deal for the hosts in the 88th minute.
JDT are scheduled to face Chinese club Shandong Taishan FC at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center in Jinan, China, in their next ACLE match on Nov 26.
JDT are now third in the 12-team Group A with seven points from four games, three points behind leaders Vissel Kobe from Japan.
Ulsan are at the bottom of the table with no points to show from four games.
The top eight teams from Group A and Group B will progress to the top-16.
