Pohang Steelers VS Johor Darul Takzim

Pohang Steelers have suffered a notable dip in form lately, falling to a 0-3 K League defeat against Incheon United before losing their opening AFC Champions League Elite fixture, which has dealt a sharp blow to the squad's morale. The side has long adopted an aggressive high-pressing approach at their home ground, but recent showings have exposed glaring defensive gaps that opponents can easily exploit. They head into this fixture with a fully fit squad, with no key sidelined players to disrupt their game plan. Malaysian powerhouse Johor Darul Ta'zim boast high-quality foreign signings, and have notched up a string of dominant wins in their domestic league, holding their opponents to a draw on home soil in their first ACL Elite match. They previously defeated Pohang in their prior meeting, giving them a clear psychological edge ahead of this tie. Travelling with a fully available first team, their entire sharp forward unit can feature, with their well-rehearsed counter-attack game plan operating at a very high level.