FC Seoul kept alive their slim hopes of reaching the last 16 of the Asian Champions League after recovering from a shock Sriwijaya equaliser to post a comprehensive 5-1 Group F victory at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Dejan Damjanovic netted a hat-trick and Sim Woo-yeon grabbed a brace. Keith Gumbs briefly gave the Indonesians hope of picking up their first point of the campaign but the K-League side's superior class eventually told.
Damjanovic gave Seoul a 17th-minute lead when he fired a low shot into the back of the net from the edge of the six-yard box after being forced wide following a smart turn that beat Sriwijaya defender Safaruddin.
But the visitors hit back in the 61st minute when Gumbs collected a loose ball, drove into the area down the left-hand side and struck a powerful effort that beat keeper Kim Ho-jun for only his side's third goal in the competition.
However, parity lasted a mere 10 minutes as Damjanovic lifted a neat finish over Sriwijaya keeper Feri Rotin Sulu from Lee Chung-yung's low cross and, only a minute later, Sim Sung-yung set up a tap-in for Sim Woo-yeon to make it 3-1.
The big striker claimed his second 14 minutes from time when he smashed home a shot into the far corner from just inside the box and Damjanovic then completed his treble with a low shot from 15 yards.
Seoul are now level on points with second-placed Shandong Luneng, who host Gamba Osaka tomorrow.
Damjanovic gave Seoul a 17th-minute lead when he fired a low shot into the back of the net from the edge of the six-yard box after being forced wide following a smart turn that beat Sriwijaya defender Safaruddin.
But the visitors hit back in the 61st minute when Gumbs collected a loose ball, drove into the area down the left-hand side and struck a powerful effort that beat keeper Kim Ho-jun for only his side's third goal in the competition.
However, parity lasted a mere 10 minutes as Damjanovic lifted a neat finish over Sriwijaya keeper Feri Rotin Sulu from Lee Chung-yung's low cross and, only a minute later, Sim Sung-yung set up a tap-in for Sim Woo-yeon to make it 3-1.
The big striker claimed his second 14 minutes from time when he smashed home a shot into the far corner from just inside the box and Damjanovic then completed his treble with a low shot from 15 yards.
Seoul are now level on points with second-placed Shandong Luneng, who host Gamba Osaka tomorrow.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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