Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar has conceded his side was lucky to come away with a point and secure a passage to the AFC Champions League round of 16 after its scoreless draw against Pohang at the Steelyard on Tuesday night.
United’s goal was under siege for most of the match but some inaccurate shooting saw some guilt edged chances go begging for the hosts while Vidmar was left thanking the heavens and some divine intervention.
“We’re pleased that we took the point, the man upstairs was on our side Tuesday night,” he said.
“It was a tough night that’s for sure. We were on the back foot for most of it but the boys held firm.”
“It’s not an easy place to go to. If you talk to the coaches of Newcastle and Central Coast, over the past couple of years they’ve gone and played there, they know how difficult it is.”
Pohang has turned the Steelyard into a fortress in the last couple of years, unbeaten in 10 ACL fixtures at the venue.
The Jets were walloped 6-0 at the Steelyard in the 2009 campaign while the Mariners managed a more respectable 3-2 loss to the K-League powerhouse.
United maintained its unbeaten run over Pohang making it three wins and a draw for the Reds in four meetings with the Steelers, after performing the double (winning home and away) in the 2008 campaign and recording a 1-0 win on the opening match day of the current campaign.
The draw, more importantly for the Reds, means they have qualified beyond the group stage, booking themselves a knockout final for May 12.
“Two goals that we set ourselves at the start of the campaign was to qualify for the round of 16 and the other was to finish top. Just that added advantage of playing at home is going to be a massive factor,” he said.
The winner of the group will earn hosting rights for the one-off round of 16 match.
Vidmar lauded his defence and goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic for keeping the scores level at the end of 90 minutes, despite admitting feeling more than a little worried that Pohang would break down the defence and score its first ever goal against the Reds.
“Eugene and our back four were fantastic and Cassio was also very, very good. They were really the only shining lights and the held it together for us,” he said.
“The further it goes into the 90 minutes and you’re always on the back foot, and we thought there was always a good chance Pohang was going to score.”
“It happens, it’s been happening for 150 years of football and it will probably happen for another 150 years where you get outplayed for the majority of the game but you manage to get away with a result.”
