K League in 2025-2026 AFC Champions League Match Day 1 Recap

K League's AFC Champions League contingent got off to a decent start to the 2025-2026 campaign with wins for Gangwon FC on the continental bow and Ulsan HD against Chinese Super League opposition, and a good start for Pohang Steelers in AFC Champions League Two. 

AFC Champions League Elite

Machida Zelvia 1-1 FC Seoul

FC Seoul marked their first AFC Champions League game in nearly five years with a 1-1 draw away to J.League minnows Machida Zelvia. At the intimate Machida Gion Stadium, Jesse Lingard teed up Marko Dugandžić just shy of the hour mark to open the scoring. The former England international's teasing ball across the six-yard box was calmly tucked away by the Croatian for his fourth goal for FC Seoul. Seoul could only manage an xG of 0.52 compared to the host's 1.07, from eight shots, four on target, compared to four on target from 16 for the J.League side.

Gangwon FC 2-1 Shanghai Shenhua

Gangwon FC's first-ever AFC Champions League match could not have gone any better. The Bears, despite manager Jeong Kyung-ho fielding a rotated starting XI, overcame Shanghai Shenhua by two goals to one. João Teixeira gave Shanghai Shenhua the lead in first-half stoppage time with a well-taken finish, but having been allowed the freedom of Chuncheon to work his way into the box from a free-kick, before veteran left back Hong Chul levelled eight minutes into the second half, drilling the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the box. Goo Bon-cheol, who'd set Hong Chul up for the equaliser, then turned the game on its head on 63 minutes, latching on to a loose ball in the box to convert from close range and seal a historic win for the Champions League debutants.

Ulsan HD 2-1 Chengdu Rongcheng

Ulsan HD came back from behind against Chengdu Rongcheng, with Heo Yool sending in a 95th-minute winner. The Seo Jung-won-led Chinese Super League outfit broke the deadlock on 44 minutes via De Erjiaduo, sweeping home a side-footed effort from the edge of the box. Ulsan found a reply on 76 minutes with Um Won-sang capitalising on a goalkeeper error to prod home. Ulsan pushed for the winner and eventually got their just rewards when Heo Yool, fresh from scoring Ulsan's point-earning equaliser in the East Coast Derby at the weekend, chested down a cross from the right before firing in an emphatic half volley to see the Horangi take home the lion's share of the spoils.

AFC Champions League Two

BG Pathum United 0-1 Pohang Steelers

Pohang Steelers got their ACL Two campaign off to a winning start, overcoming Thai outfit BG Pathum United. Lee Dong-hyeop's first-ever professional goal earned the Steelers all three points, firing in through a crowd of bodies from inside the box five minutes before half-time. Pohang pushed for a second goal but flew close to the wind at the other end, with the hosts spurning several good chances late on, and had some last-ditch defending to thank for the clean sheet and subsequent three points. It was a rotated XI fielded by Park Tae-ha, but with some solid performances, there'll be food for thought ahead of the Steelers' return to league action.