Beijing Guoan vs Pohang Steelers Predictions
Beijing Guoan and Pohang Steelers kick-off their AFC Champions League Elite East campaign on Tuesday.
The Chinese hosts are in much better form, and they should secure a home victory at Workers’ Stadium.
Beijing Guoan to win is my best bet on Tuesday.
Home Win on the Cards
- Beijing Guoan won 4 of their last 6 home matches
- Beijing Guoan scored an average of 2.57 goals per game in their last 7 matches
- Pohang Steelers lost their last 4 away matches (AFC Elite)
- Pohang Steelers lost 7 of their last 13 matches
- Pohang Steelers conceded an average of 1.33 goals per game in their last 9 matches
Beijing and Pohan Set For First Meeting Since 2013
Beijing Guoan and Pohang Steelers will meet for the third time this week. The CSL outfit are unbeaten in two previous matchups.
Beijing claimed a 2-0 win when they last hosted Pohang at this venue in an AFC Champions League group stage fixture in 2013.
Beijing Guoan Extend Unbeaten Run
Beijing Guoan return to the Workers' Stadium after a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Shanghai Port in the Chinese Super League.
Shanghai Port dominated possession and registered 21 shots, including six on target, but Beijing defended resolutely and held on for a valuable point.
Beijing managed only five shots and two on target, with their final xG a paltry 0.59.
Nick Montgomery's in-form side won four of their six previous matches before drawing in Shanghai. They scored at least three goals in five of their seven most recent fixtures.
The Imperial Guards are now unbeaten in their last 15 games since May. Guoan secured victories in ten of those matches.
Clean sheets remain somewhat elusive, though, with the CSL side conceding at least one goal in 15 of their last 19 fixtures.
Beijing now make their return to the AFC Elite for the first time since 2021. Montgomery’s men secured qualification with a 3-0 win against Henan in the final of the CFA Cup earlier this year.
Pohang Steelers Winless Run Continues
Pohang Steelers make the trip to Beijing after an entertaining 2-2 draw at Daejeon Hana Citizen in the K League 1.
Jorge Teixeira opened the scoring in the 48th minute before Juninho Rocha doubled Daejeon’s advantage three minutes later. However, Victor Bobsin pulled one back in the 84th minute before Myeong-jae Lee equalised four minutes later to secure a share of the spoils at Daejeon World Cup Stadium.
The hosts were good value for their point. Daejeon outshot Pohang by 19-6 while also dominating the ball with 59% possession.
Last weekend’s draw extended Pohang's winless run to four matches. They have won only one of their last six fixtures, and only three of 13 since mid-July.
Returning to the AFC Elite after a one-season absence, Pohang struggled badly in their last appearance in 2025. The KL1 side finished 9th in the 11-team East League, while losing all four of their away fixtures.
The Steel Warrior proved defensively vulnerable in that competition, leaking 12 goals in their four away defeats, including a 4-1 reversal against CSL opponents Shanghai Shenhua.
Beijing Guoan vs Pohang Steelers Team News
Beijing Guoan: (4-1-4-1) Hou Sen; Yue Tze-Nam, Wang Gang, Guilherme Ramos, Bai Yang; Wang Yu; Yang Liyu, Cao Yongjing, Sai Erjini'ao, Zhang Xizhe; Zhang Yuning
Beijing boss Montgomery is likely to keep faith with the same XI used in the goalless draw at Shanghai Port.
Zhang Yuning is expected to lead the attack, supported by Yang Liyu, Cao Yongjing, Sai Erjini'ao and Zhang Xizhe.
Pohang Steelers: (4-3-3) Sung-Min Hong; Kwang-hun Shin, Chan-Yong Park, Min-Kwang Jeon, Dong-Jin Kim; Jakob Tranziska, Sung-Yueng Ki, Seo-Woong Hwang; Juninho Rocha, Wanderson, Jorge Teixeira.
Pohang Steelers boss Tae-Ha Park has no fresh injury concerns but could make one or two changes to the side that drew with Daejeon.
Kwang-hun Shin and Jakob Tranziska are among those pushing for a place in the starting XI after appearing from the bench in the 2-2 draw at Daejeon.