Get to know a little more about Melbourne Victory’s first opponent in the 2019 AFC Champions League, Korean FA Cup winner Daegu FC.
The Group F encounter at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Tuesday, March 5 will be Daegu FC’s competition debut and Victory’s 39th game in the Champions League.
Get your tickets for Match Day 1 here.
How did Daegu FC qualify?
Daegu FC qualified for the Asian Champions League for the first time in its history by winning the Korean FA Cup.
The trophy was secured with an impressive 5-1 aggregate win over Ulsan Hyundai – who faced Victory in last year’s competition.
Daegu’s FA Cup triumph was the first major piece of silverware in the club’s history and with it came automatic qualification for the Champions League.
Key Players
Goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-Woo was South Korea’s number one for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Hyeon-Woo signed for Daegu FC in 2013 and has made 172 appearances for the club.
Brazilian forward Cesinha captained and scored for Daegu in both legs of its FA Cup Final. The creative midfielder topped the list for most assists in the K-League last season, with a total of 11.
Another Brazilian key player is Edgar Bruno da Silva. The 32-year-old has played in leagues around the world, including Portugal and Qatar. The striker has scored eight goals in 18 appearances for Daegu FC.
Recent form
Daegu FC’s K-League season commences this weekend, with a visit to Jeonbuk.
Last 5 results:
Daegu FC 3 – 0 Ulsan Hyundai
Ulsan Hyundai 1 – 2 Daegu FC
Gangwon 0 – 1 Daegu FC
Jeonnam 1 – 2 Daegu FC
Daegu FC 0 – 0 Sangju Sangmu