Joenbuk snatch ACL draw with Sydney FC

Sydney FC desperately needed a win to build momentum in the AFC Champions League, but fell short as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors conjured a much-deserved late equaliser at Jubilee Stadium.

A highly contentious penalty converted by Adam Le Fondre seemed set to have Sydney FC on the road to a crucial AFC Champions League win with 13 minutes remaining on Wednesday, only for Han Kyowon to find an 89th minute riposte for the South Korean champions.

"We should have won that match," Sydney FC coach Steve Corica said.

"To concede very late against one of the best teams in Asia is disappointing.

"We need to keep the ball for longer. They had ten men and if we keep the ball we don't concede.

"At home it is important to get wins, and we didn't do that tonight."

The two sides' swapped goals early in the second half as Sky Blues midfielder Luke Brattan netted an unlucky own goal, before teammate Trent Buhagiar drew level with a lovely dinked finish after dribbling past a defender.

The runaway A-League champions somehow maintained parity as Jeonbuk conspired to miss two gilt-edged openings during a lengthy period of second-half dominance.

Substitute Cho Guesung pushed his effort over despite almost standing on the Sydney FC goal-line and teammate Han's miss minutes later was only marginally better.

Sydney FC fashioned a rare foray forward on the counter-attack and the result of the goalmouth scramble changed the momentum of the match.

Jeonbuk skipper Choi Bokyung was controversially deemed to have handled the ball to receive a red card and allowing Le Fondre the opportunity to crash home the resulting penalty.

But Han's eleventh-hour equaliser dashed Sydney's hopes of a crucial home win, following a crushing 4-0 defeat against Yokohama F. Marinos last month.

"Sydney have good defensive shape and we had to work to create chances," said Jeonbuk coach Jose Morais.

"This spirit that we have is the reason we are champions of Korea."

The result leaves the two sides level on a point each behind pacesetters Yokohama.

Chinese representatives Shanghai SIPG are yet to take the field as a result of the coronavirus.