K League in AFC Champions League Match Day 6 Preview | OneFootball

The final AFC Champions League action of 2025 will see Jesse Lingard bid farewell to FC Seoul during the capital club's home clash with Melbourne City, Gangwon FC take on Buriram United in search of a first ACL win in three, and Ulsan HD travel to Japan to take on Machida Zelvia, looking to at least end the year on a high note. In ACL Two, Pohang Steelers close out the Group Stage with a trip to the Philippines to take on Kaya.

AFC Champions League Elite

Tuesday 9th December

Machida Zelvia (3rd, JPN) vs. Ulsan HD (6th) - 19:00

After a disappointing domestic campaign, one that saw the Horangi finish in their lowest position in 25 years, Ulsan HD will be looking to end the year on a positive note. The final day of the K League season saw Ulsan lose 1-0 at home to Jeju SK, but were able to preserve their top-flight status by default owing to results elsewhere. Caretaker manager Noh Sang-rae had previously fielded rotated lineups in the ACL, with survival more important. But in what will be his last match in charge, a full-strength Ulsan is likely to feature in Japan.

Zelvia, who were recently crowned Emperor Cup winners, ended the J1 League season with a 1-0 defeat away to Kashiwa Reysol to finish sixth. Zelvia, ACL debutants, beat Gangwon in their last continental outing, and drew 1-1 with FC Seoul in their very first. Ulsan laboured to a 0-0 draw at home to Buriram United. Ulsan's record against J.League opposition is 16 wins, six draws, and 12 losses. So far in this season's competition, the Horangi have overcome Sanfrecce Hiroshima but lost to Vissel Kobe. Ulsan have the joint-best defence in the East side of the competition, with just three goals conceded and rank first for clearances per match with 34, while Zeliva rank third for accurate crosses per match with 5.8 and for accurate long balls per match with 32.4.

Buriram United (8th, THA) vs. Gangwon FC (9th)- 21:15

Gangwon FC's first-ever match against Thai opposition sees them head to Thunder Castle to take on the Southeast Asian giants, Buriram United. Buriram earned a decent point away to Ulsan in their last ACLE match, and picked up a 3-1 win over Kanchanaburi Power at the weekend to remain top of the Thai Premier League. Their incredible start to the new domestic season has seen the 11-time domestic champions earn 11 wins from 13 matches thus far. Gangwon ended the K League campaign with a 1-0 win over Pohang Steelers to claim fifth spot and potentially a place in next season's ACL Two. But the focus will be purely on ACLE and the trip to Buriram, to end on a high note. Gangwon are seeking to end a run of two without a win in ACL.

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, seven draws, and ten losses, with their most recent win coming against Ulsan in last season's competition. Buriram are the only side currently in the top eight with negative goal difference (-1), but two clean sheets is the second-best record in the East side of the competition. Gangwon have had the most possession overall with 61.8% but are only eighth in terms of shots on target per match (2.8).

Wednesday 10th December

FC Seoul (4th) vs. Melbourne City (2nd) - 19:00

FC Seoul fans endured a tough season, one full of false dawns, and one that will ultimately be forgotten, but there is still one more match to play, and it will be Jesse Lingard's last for the club. Seoul's domestic woes are well documente,d but a 3-1 away win over Chinese Super League champions Shanghai Port is as impressive a win as any team will earn in the competition. Lingard scored twice and registered an assist to make it five goal contributions, the third-highest in the competition. Melbourne City are the visitors to Sangam this Wednesday, a side that sits second in the table following three straight wins. Wednesday's meeting will be the first-ever between the two sides, but Seoul have come up against A-League Men opposition before, earning four wins, three draws, and three losses. In 2020, Seoul beat Melbourne Victory at home 1-0 thanks to an eighth-minute Park Chu-young strike, but then lost 2-1 in the return fixture in the hub.

Melbourne City's trip to the Korean capital will mark their first fixture against a K League side since 2022, when facing Jeonnam Dragons, first in Korea, and only their second ever. In the 2022 competition, City earned a 2-1 win and a 1-1 draw with the K League 2 side. City make the trip on the back of a 1-0 away win over Newcastle Jets, and while sitting fourth in the A-League Men's table following three wins, three draws, and three losses to start the season.

AFC Champions League Two

Kaya FC Iloilo (4th) vs. Pohang Steelers (2nd) - 21:15

Pohang Steelers will close out the AFC Champions League Two Group Stage with a visit to the Philippines to take on Kaya FC Iloilo. Pohang are second in Group H but could still finish first, but will need Tampines Rovers to lose to BG Pathum United and beat Kaya by at least four goals. Kaya are yet to pick up a single point and have scored just four goals with 14 conceded. The Lions have had better luck domestically, sitting third in the Philippines Football League table and earning a 6-1 win away to Tuloy FC in their last match on November 30th.

Eyes will be on whether Pohang gaffer Park Tae-he fields a strong XI like he did against in the 2-0 home win over BG Pathum United. With a place in the knockouts already secured, it may well be another second-string Steelers side that travels. Pohang ran out 2-0 winners when the sides met at the Steel Yard earlier this year. The encounter will be Kaya's sixth against K League opposition, having lost twice to Ulsan in 2021 and Incheon in 2023.