Goals from Stevica Ristic and No Byung-jun ensured Pohang Steelers will meet Al Ittihad in the final of the AFC Champions League after the Koreans downed Umm Salal 2-1 at Qatar Sports Club.

Leading 2-0 from the first-leg, Sergio Farias’ men ensured there would be no semi-final comeback from the plucky hosts as they held firm over the opening 45 minutes before putting the result beyond doubt after the break.

Ristic (pictured left battling with Umm Salal’s Fawaz Al Khater) opened the scoring in the 55th minute and No added the second four minutes later before Ibrahima Nadiya netted a consolation for Umm Salal in injury time to make it 4-1 on aggregate.

Umm Salal suffered a setback after just 40 seconds when Bahrain defender Mohamad Hussain was forced off with an injury and replaced by Al Khater.


Pohang almost added to their first-leg advantage after just eight minutes when Choi Hyo-jin clipped the top of the bar with a vicious strike from 25 yards.

The hosts had an opportunity of their own in the 27th minute when Fabio Cesar was crowded out in the box but the ball broke to Mustafa Adan and his low shot was palmed away by keeper Shin Hwa-yong.

Mohamed Musa then fired wildly over when well placed before an unmarked Kim Tae-su wasted the best chance of the game so far after 36 minutes when he headed Choi’s cross woefully wide from six yards.

Musa blazed wide again before Baba Malik denied No at the back post when the forward met Kim Jae-sung’s excellent cross from the right.

Ristic broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when the striker was played in by Kim Jae-sung and he fired across keeper Malik and into the far corner with a smart finish.

No then added the second four minutes later when a miscued clearance on the halfway line fell to the forward and he surged down the left before cutting inside Ben Askar and calmly side-footing home.

Umm Salal came agonisingly close to pulling a goal back with 15 minutes to go when Davi met Magno Alves’ teasing ball across the box but the striker hit the outside of the post from a tight angle.

Shin fisted away Dahi Al Naami’s swerving long-range effort with four minutes to go before Umm Salal eventually got on the score sheet in stoppage time.

Fabio was fouled on the edge of the box and Ibrahima stepped up to rifle the resulting free-kick beyond Shin and into the top corner.