Kim Pangon pinpoints Sundowns as Ulsan's Club World Cup defining match
- Martin T
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Ulsan HD coach Kim Pangon is determined to lead the South Korean side into the knockout stages of the FIFA Club World Cup this month in the United States.
He's pinpointed their opening match against South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns as a critical fixture that could define their tournament.
The Brazilians and Ulsan are set to clash on June 17 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando. Kim Pangon has labelled the encounter against Sundowns a "must-win" game. Both teams are drawn in Group F alongside German powerhouse Borussia Dortmund and Brazil’s Fluminense.
"As a team representing Korea and Asia, we’re under pressure to perform well against clubs from other continents,” Kim stated in an interview with FIFA.com.
“I believe advancing to the Round of 16 is crucial, and our first match against Mamelodi Sundowns will be key. After that, it will be important to narrow the gap and pick up points against Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund.”
Ulsan secured their spot in the expanded Club World Cup through their consistent performance in the AFC Champions League Elite between 2021 and 2023.
“I believe that this format, with 32 teams competing, will attract significant global attention. It’s a great opportunity to compete against world-class teams,” Kim added. “I’m sure that both the Koreans living in the United States and fans back home will be looking forward to seeing how Ulsan HD can do. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to acquit ourselves well."
He continued, “As Ulsan participates in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, many Korean-Americans will have high expectations. We hope many people will come to the stadium to support us, and we will do our best to perform competitively and achieve good results so our fans can be proud."
Kim believes that while Asian teams have historically faced challenges in international tournaments, Ulsan can leverage the "speed and technique of Asian football" to be competitive.
K League 1 champions Ulsan have lifted the AFC Champions League trophy twice, in 2012 and 2020. Alongside Sundowns, Africa will also be represented by Egypt’s Al-Ahly, Tunisia’s Espérance, and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca.