K League in AFC Champions League Match Day 5 Preview | OneFootball

The last AFC Champions League action of 2025 sees three of K League's representation play host with Gangwon FC welcoming Machida Zelvia, Ulsan HD taking on Buriram United, and Pohang Steelers entertaining BG Pathum United. FC Seoul, meanwhile, travel to China to take on Shanghai Port as the AFC Champions League competitions reach Match Day 5.

AFC Champions League Elite

Tuesday 25th November

Gangwon FC (5th) vs. Machida Zelvia (8th, JPN) - 19:00

Two teams that are competing in ACL for the very first time meet on Tuesday when Gangwon FC take on J1 side Machida Zelvia. Gangwon have performed better so far with two wins, while their J1 counterparts have managed five points from two draws and one win. Both teams lost their last ACL matches, though; Gangwon suffered a 1-0 reverse away to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, while Machida lost 2-1 at home to Melbourne City. Sanfrecce was the second J.League side Gangwon have faced so far, the first being Vissel Kobe in that seven-goal thriller, with Kim Gun-hee sending in a 95th-minute winner.

Machida, meanwhile, have faced FC Seoul, drawing 1-1 at home. In domestic action, Gangwon came from behind to earn a draw away to Daejeon with Park Sang-hyeok heading home his second goal in three games since returning from military service. The draw means it's three unbeaten in the league for the Bears. For Zelvia, however, the relative minnows compared to their other J.League counterparts in ACLE, lifted the Emperor's Cup, beating Vissel Kobe 3-1 thanks to goals from Yuki Soma and Shita Fujio (2).

Gangwon will likely have a lot of the ball, having racked up 60.4% possession (1st) rank first for interceptions per match with 11.3, but Zelvia have created the most 'big chances' in the East side of the competition with 13 and rank first for possession won in the final third per match (6.3). With the league table tight, a win could see either team move up into the upper reaches. Gangwon could even go top with a strong win.

Shanghai Port (12th, CHN) vs. FC Seoul (9th) - 19:00

It's been a poor start to the new AFC Champions League Elite campaign for Chinese Super League giants Shanghai Port, sitting bottom of the table and three points adrift of 11th. The point earned from a 1-1 draw with Sanfrecce Hiroshima remains as their only point on the board. At home, they've lost twice with five goals shipped without reply. FC Seoul, then, will see the trip to Shanghai on Tuesday as a good chance to add to their only win thus far. K League's capital club representation has five points from one win, two draws, and one loss. Shanghai Port, though, sealed the Chinese Super League title over the weekend via a 1-0 win away to Dalian Zhixing. The same sort of success can't be said for FC Seoul, who look set to finish fifth at the highest in K League 1. Kim Gi-dong's side lost 3-1 at home to Gimcheon at the weekend to make it three matches without a win.

The two teams have met before, but only twice, with Shanghai Port coming out on top on both occasions in 2017.FC Seoul are no strangers to Chinese Super League opposition, but have lost five out of their last six matches against Chinese sides dating back to 2017. Their last win over CSL opposition was a 4-1 victory over Shandong Luneng in the 2016 quarterfinal. Their overall record in ACL reads won seven, drawn 10, lost seven. Two of those draws include the 2013 final with Guangzhou Evergrande, which was lost on away goals. Shanghai Port's record against K League sides over the years reads seven wins, four draws, and five losses. Their last encounter with a Korean team was in 2024, facing and beating Pohang and Ulsan, and drawing with Gwangju.

Seoul rank first for accurate passes per match with 485 and are second for possession (59%), but it will be about how they can improve their fortunes in front of goal; they rank sixth for shots on target per match (4.3) but third for big chances missed with six.

Wednesday 26th November

Ulsan HD (4th) vs Buriram United (6th, THA) - 19:00

With K League 1 survival still not secured, Ulsan HD caretaker manager Noh Sang-rae can ill afford to field a stronger team for the Horangi's next continental encounter. They will, however, be looking to bounce back from a loss in their last ACL match, a 1-0 away reverse to Vissel Kobe. Ulsan sit fourth in the ACLE table and could move top with a win. The visitors to the Munsu this Wednesday, Buriram United, are only a point behind, having picked up two wins from their first four games, and might feel as though they have the psychological advantage having tamed the K League tigers in the only previous meeting - a 2-1 home win in February this year. That loss was only Ulsan's second against Thai opposition from eight total meetings, earning five wins and two draws.

Buriram United make the trip to Korea on the back of a resounding 5-0 win over Muangthong United to make it four points clear with a game in hand over second in the Thai Premier League table. Austrian attacking midfielder Robert Zulj scored a hat-trick and Brazilian striker Bissoli bagged a brace. Buriram have faced K League opposition already this season, losing 3-0 away to FC Seoul. The Thai giants' record against K League sides is five wins, six draws, and ten losses, with their most recent win coming against Ulsan in last season's competition.

AFC Champions League Two

Thursday 27th November

Pohang Steelers (2nd) vs. BG Pathum United (3rd, THA) - 19:00

Pohang Steelers have work to do if they are to finish as winners of Group H. Doing so is currently out of their hands following a loss and a draw with Tampines Rovers in their last two ACL Two matches. This Thursday, the Steelers take on BG Pathum United, who sit just a place and a point below them; a positive result will be seen as crucial.

BG Pathum United head into the match having won their last two ACL Two matches, against Kaya, however, a side that has lost all four of its matches and scored just once. Eyes will be on what sort of team Park Tae-ha puts out, having opted to field something of a second string with the league a priority. But with the Steelers unable to finish any higher or lower than fourth, the former midfielder may think about selecting some more of his first-team players. BG Pathum United have endured a mixed start to the Thai Premier League season, sitting fifth. A 0-0 draw with Ratchaburi FC meant it's been two stalemates in a row.

BG Pathum's record against K League opposition reads one win, one draw, four losses; the most recent encounters came against Ulsan in 2023, losing on both occasions. The one win came against Jeonnam Dragons in 2022. In terms of who to watch, Pohang striker Cho Sang-hyeok is first for shots on target per match with 3.9 and first for shots per match with 8.5, while BG's Matheus Fornazari and Tomoyuki Doi are second and third, respectively, with 6.9 and 6.6.