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Title-holders Pohang Steelers will be banking on home support to overturn a 2-1 deficit in the AFC Champions League quarter-finals today as Korean teams battle to stay in the tournament

The Steelers were beaten by Iran Pro League leaders Zobahan in the first leg and their former Fulham star Seol Ki Hyeon is desperate to remain in contention after he missed the group stages and the World Cup with a knee injury.

"I came to the K-League because I really wanted to play in the World Cup, but now I want to win the AFC Champions League with Pohang," he said.


"The team are in good form and every one of us really wants to help Pohang defend our AFC Champions League title."
Ki Hyeon will spearhead a three-man attack alongside Brazilians Mota and Almir with a semi-final next month at stake against either Saudi champions Al Hilal or Qatar League winners Al Gharafa.

Hilal, who have been consistently impressive under Belgian great Eric Gerets, visit the Doha club on the back of their 3-0 win in front of more than 53,000 fans at the King Fahd International Stadium last week.


Pohang are among a record four Korean clubs competing in the quarter-finals, but one of three to lose in the first legs.

Seongnam Ilhwa, South Republic's most successful club with seven K-League titles, were the country's sole winners after beating Korean rivals Suwon Bluewings 4-1.

They should progress to the last four with towering Montenegrin target man Dzenan Radoncic looking to add to the brace he bagged last week.


Suwon need to score goals, but Jose Mota, the AFC Champions League's leading scorer with nine goals, was subdued in the first leg with the team's best attacks coming through World Cup winger Yeom Ki Hun.

Jeonbuk Motors, the 2006 champions, face a tough mission in Saudi Arabia against Al Shabab, who beat the K-League champions 2-0 and could be one of two Riyadh clubs to make the final four.

Shabab have been boosted by the signing of Uruguayan striker Juan Manuel Olivera, who helped Universidad de Chile reach the semi-finals of this year's Copa Libertadores, and he will be hoping to add to his clinical first leg goal.

Jeonbuk's loss to Shabab was their sixth in eight games in all competitions, a surprising slump following nine straight victories.

But they remain a fierce attacking threat on their day, with Korean legend Lee Dong-Gook keen to make up for his close-range misses last week.