| Ulsan Tigers win East Asian Champions Cup
Korea Republics Ulsan Tigers overpowered Chinas Dalian Shide 4-0 to lift the East Asian Champions Cup on Tuesday. Forward Lee Chun-soo was the catalyst for an easy victory, scoring twice for the K-League champions to take his tally to six goals in three games.
Ulsans triumph also completed a hat-trick of titles for Korean clubs in the four-team competition following the success of Seongnam Ilhwa in 2004 and Suwon Bluewings in 2005. "Before we came to Japan I promised that I would be the tournaments top scorer so Im happy to have achieved that," Lee told Reuters. "I missed a penalty in the first game too but I think that helped me to focus properly."
Player of the tournament Lee followed his hat-trick in Ulsans 6-0 rout of Japans Gamba Osaka at the weekend with two more against Dalian. Ulsan finished level with Gamba on six points from three games but with a vastly superior goal difference.
Japanese champions Gamba rebounded from their six-goal humiliation by Ulsan by beating J-League rivals JEF United Chiba 2-0 in Tuesdays evening game. Japanese League Cup holders JEF United finished third on four points with Dalian bottom on one point.
Japans Kashima Antlers won the inaugural East Asian Champions Cup in 2003. |