Melbourne Victory knocked out of the Champions League

Melbourne Victory’s nice run through a very difficult Champions League group came crashing to an end on Tuesday night in Korea thanks to a 0-0 draw at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in Jeonju. With Guangzhou Evergrande taking all three points from Yokohama F. Marinos in China, the Victory slipped to third thanks to the second tie-breaker. Melbourne finished level on points with Jeonbuk but thanks to draws in both encounters, the head-to-head tie-breaker with the Green Warriors was not enough to determine who advances to the Round of 16. On goal difference, the Victory finished on 0 while Jeonbuk had a +1, mostly thanks to a Match Day 1 defeat of Yokohama F. Marinos, 3-0. Evergrande and Jeonbuk will represent Group G in the knockout rounds.

The Victory fell short of the knockout rounds for the fourth time, having previously gone out in the group stage in 2008, 2010 and 2011. This year’s effort, despite coming from an immensely strong group, represents Melbourne’s highest point total and closest margin of elimination.

Melbourne now turn their attention to the domestic semifinal round where they will travel to Queensland to play A-Leauge premiers Brisbane Roar on Sunday April 27 at Suncorp Stadium. The Victory defeated the Roar in Ange Postecoglou’s last game at the club on October 25 at the Etihad Stadium but has since lost 3-0 at AAMI Park on January 4 and in heart-breaking fashion at Suncorp, 1-0 on March 22. The winner will play the winner of the Western Sydney Wanderers-Central Coast Mariners semifinal on May 4.

Line-ups:

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors: Kwoun; Lee Ky., Lee J., Kim K., Wilkinson; Leonardo, Lee S., Jung, Lee J., Kim N. (Han 18’); Lee D.

Unused substitutes: Lee G., Choi B., Kaio, Kim I., Park W., Choi E.

Melbourne Victory: Coe; Traore, Ansell, Leijer (Murnane 68’), Galloway (Geria 40’); Broxham, Mahazi, Jeggo, Makarounas (Barbarouses 38’); Thompson, Pain

Unused substitutes: Thomas, Nabbout, Alan