AFC Champions League League Phase East - 1
Ulsan Hyundai FC 2 - 1 FT Chengdu Better City
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
P. Delgado 44'
HT
46' ↓ Seo Myung-Guan ↑Jung Seung-Hyun
46' ↓ Jung Woo-Young ↑Heo Yool
46' ↓ Marcao ↑Erick Farias
49' In-woo Back
Shuai Yang 54'
62' ↓ Baek In-Woo ↑Lee Jin-Hyun
↓ Yang Shuai ↑Yuan Mincheng 64'
↓ Yang Ming-Yang ↑Gan Chao 64'
66' Jae-ik Lee
72' ↓ H. Lee ↑Um Won-Sang
↓ Felipe Silva ↑Tang Chuang 72'
76' Um Won-Sang
↓ T. Letschert ↑Y. Dong 77'
↓ Romulo ↑Liao Rongxiang 77'
Pedro Delgado 83'
90' Heo Yool (Um Won-Sang)
Pedro Delgado 90'+3
Pedro Delgado 90'+3
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Ulsan Hyundai FC
Goalkeepers
Jo Hyeon-Woo 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Seo Myung-Guan 
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
3
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
M. Trojak 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
5
Tackles
57%
Duel Win %
Lee Jae-Ik
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Choi Seok-Hyun
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
10
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
H. Lee
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
72
Total Mins
72
Entry
Jung Woo-Young
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
D. Bojanic 
MAGNET
91
Activity
91
Activity
83
Passes
8
Duels
G. Ludwigson 
ARCHITECT
5
Key Passes
5
Key Passes
0
Assists
29%
Pass Acc
Forwards
Marcao
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Baek In-Woo
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
3
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
BENCH
Moon Jung-In 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Jung Seung-Hyun
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kim Young-Gwon
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kang Sang-Woo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Park Min-Seo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ko Seung-Beom
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lee Jin-Hyun
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
28
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kim Min-Hyeok
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lee Chung-Yong
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Um Won-Sang 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
Heo Yool 
CLUTCH HERO
90
Goal Time
90
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
7.9
Rating
Erick Farias
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Chengdu Better City
Goalkeepers
Jian Tao
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
H. Hu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
T. Letschert
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
1
Assists
35%
Pass Acc
Y. Li
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
4
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Yang Shuai
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
64
Total Mins
64
Entry
Y. Gurfinkel 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Midfielders
Romulo
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
T. Chow
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yang Ming-Yang
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
64
Total Mins
64
Entry
P. Delgado 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
5
Fouls
7.9
Rating
Forwards
Felipe Silva
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
15%
Pass Acc
BENCH
Liu Dianzuo
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Wang Dongsheng
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Y. Dong
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuan Mincheng
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
26
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tang Xin
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Xu Hong
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Muzepper Murahmetjan
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yan Dinghao
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gan Chao
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
26
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Liao Rongxiang
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Li Moyu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tang Chuang
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
18
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
| Pos | Team | P | Pts | GF | GA | GD | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vissel Kobe | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | +3 | WSHANGHAI SIPG 0 - 3 Vissel Kobe (17-09-2025) |
| 2 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | +2 | WMelbourne City 0 - 2 Sanfrecce Hiroshima (16-09-2025) |
| 3 | Gangwon FC | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | +1 | WGangwon FC 2 - 1 Shanghai Shenhua (16-09-2025) |
| 4 | Ulsan Hyundai FC | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | +1 | WUlsan Hyundai FC 2 - 1 Chengdu Better City (17-09-2025) |
| 5 | Buriram United | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | +1 | WBuriram United 2 - 1 Johor Darul Takzim FC (16-09-2025) |
| 6 | Machida Zelvia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | DMachida Zelvia 1 - 1 FC Seoul (16-09-2025) |
| 7 | FC Seoul | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | DMachida Zelvia 1 - 1 FC Seoul (16-09-2025) |
| 8 | Shanghai Shenhua | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | LGangwon FC 2 - 1 Shanghai Shenhua (16-09-2025) |
| 9 | Johor Darul Takzim FC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | LBuriram United 2 - 1 Johor Darul Takzim FC (16-09-2025) |
| 10 | Chengdu Better City | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | LUlsan Hyundai FC 2 - 1 Chengdu Better City (17-09-2025) |
| 11 | Melbourne City | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | LMelbourne City 0 - 2 Sanfrecce Hiroshima (16-09-2025) |
| 12 | SHANGHAI SIPG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 | LSHANGHAI SIPG 0 - 3 Vissel Kobe (17-09-2025) |
League Standings
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -8
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Ulsan Grind Out Crucial Victory Over Resilient Chengdu
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 34/100. This hard-fought victory provides a vital lifeline for Ulsan’s continental ambitions while leaving Chengdu to rue a missed opportunity despite a heroic defensive effort.
Siege at the Munsu Stadium
From the outset at the Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium, the home side established a clear tactical authority. Ulsan Hyundai FC dominated possession with a commanding 62%, circulating the ball with precision to pull the visitors out of their defensive shape. An Intensity score of 6.0 reflected a match that rarely paused for breath, as the K League giants launched a barrage of 17 shots. Joo Min-kyu led the line with typical aggression, testing the backline as Ulsan moved the ball through the final third 81 times. Despite the pressure, the first half remained a cagey affair where the Balance of the match was frequently tested by the visitors' physical presence and disciplined low block.
The Breaking Point
The complexion of the match shifted dramatically when Chengdu Better City were reduced to ten men. This numerical disadvantage forced the visitors into a desperate rearguard action, but it also opened the floodgates for Ulsan's creative players. The Stakes were palpable as Ulsan exploited the extra space, recording 10 shots on target in total. However, the Chengdu goalkeeper produced a stunning individual performance, making 8 saves to keep his side within touching distance. Felipe tried to provide an outlet for the frustrated visitors, but the relentless pressure from the hosts eventually told. The sheer volume of chances—Ulsan created five big opportunities—proved too much to handle as the home side finally breached the wall to secure their lead.
Continental Consequences
The final whistle confirmed a 2-1 scoreline that arguably flattered the visitors given the statistics. While the Upset Factor remained low at 0.0, the match was far from comfortable for the hosts. Ulsan’s 84% pass accuracy ensured they remained in control during the closing stages, preventing any late drama. For Ulsan Hyundai FC, these three points are essential for their climb up the standings, moving them away from the lower reaches of the group. Conversely, Chengdu Better City leave with nothing but pride, their winless run extending despite a performance of immense character. The result leaves Ulsan looking upward, while Chengdu must find a way to convert defensive resilience into points in their upcoming fixtures.
Key Questions
Who won the match between Ulsan and Chengdu?
Ulsan Hyundai FC won the match 2-1 against Chengdu Better City.
What was the turning point in the game?
The red card for Chengdu Better City allowed Ulsan to dominate the second half and eventually break through the visitors' defense.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
A Continental Test of Will
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 15/100. Ulsan Hyundai FC and Chengdu Better City meet in a high-stakes environment where tactical discipline will outweigh flair in a quest to secure early continental momentum.
The Setup
The journey through the AFC Champions League begins under the lights of the Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium, but the atmosphere is more akin to a final than an opener. A Stakes rating of 1.0 might suggest a quiet affair, yet for these two sides, it is a definitive test of character. Ulsan Hyundai FC enters this fixture looking to correct a inconsistent Form of LLDLW, leaning heavily on the creative vision of Lee Dong-Gyeong and the attacking presence of Erick Farias. Across the pitch, Chengdu Better City arrives with a low Stars score of 1.7, but they possess a resilient core led by the influential Rômulo.
Key Battle
The outcome hinges on the struggle between the home side's high-pressing midfield and the visitors' disciplined defensive block. Without a dominant playmaker controlling the tempo, the game will likely devolve into a war of attrition in the center of the park. Ulsan’s ability to transition quickly from defense to attack will test whether Chengdu’s backline can maintain their shape for the full ninety minutes.
Our Prediction
Given the Balance rating of 2.9, do not expect a high-scoring spectacle. Ulsan’s domestic experience and home advantage should provide the slight edge needed to break a stubborn deadlock. We anticipate a cagey encounter where a single moment of individual brilliance, perhaps from the Ulsan frontline, settles a 1-0 victory for the Korean side as they navigate this survive-and-advance scenario.