Melbourne City are through to the knockout rounds of the Asian Champions League Elite for the first time in club history after a dramatic 2 1 win over Ulsan HD sealed their place among Asia’s top eight.
It was Marcus Younis who delivered the defining moment. Three minutes into stoppage time, the 20 year old forward reacted quickest inside the box and volleyed home with his left foot after Kavian Rahmani’s pass was only partially cleared. The late strike stunned the home crowd in South Korea and sparked wild celebrations among the Australian side.
The victory marks Melbourne City’s fourth win of the league phase and guarantees Aurelio Vidmar’s team a top eight finish in the 12 team table. With one round of matches still to play, City sit fourth on 13 points from seven games, behind Japanese trio Vissel Kobe, Machida Zelvia and Sanfrecce Hiroshima, all of whom have already secured progression.
City had taken control earlier in the contest. Max Caputo opened the scoring in the 36th minute, rising highest to head home and give the visitors a deserved lead. The A League side looked composed and organised for long spells, showing the maturity required in continental competition.
However, Ulsan HD pushed back in the closing stages. With 10 minutes remaining, Darijan Bojanic struck from distance to level the match and set up a tense finish. At that stage, qualification was still within reach for Melbourne City, but they needed something special to make it certain.
That moment arrived in added time. Younis, who is on loan from Danish club Brondby, seized his opportunity and ensured his name would be written into Melbourne City’s history. After the match, he described the night as unforgettable and highlighted the collective effort behind the achievement. For a club still growing its presence in Asian football, reaching this stage represents a major milestone.
Under the revised Asian Champions League Elite format, the top eight teams from both the East and West zones advance to the round of 16. Those ties will be played over two legs in March, while the quarter finals, semi finals and final are scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in April.
Elsewhere, Shanghai Port were eliminated after being held to a goalless draw by Gangwon FC. The result left the Chinese champions bottom of the standings and five points adrift of eighth place, ending their hopes of progression.
As the final round of league phase matches approaches, six clubs are still battling for the remaining knockout spots. Melbourne City, however, can look ahead with confidence. For Vidmar’s squad, the breakthrough into the last 16 signals both progress and belief that they can compete with Asia’s elite.
