Jeonbuk wins 1st leg in all-Korean Asian Champs League semi

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors was on the cusp of returning to the Asian Champions League final - 10 years after its first - after beating FC Seoul 4-1 at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Wednesday.

Two strikes from Leonardo and one from Ricardo Lopes put Jeonbuk, the champion in 2006, up 3-0 by halftime in the first leg of the all-South Korean semifinal.

Ju Se-jong pulled one back for Seoul, the finalist in 2013, and Kim Shin-wook scored Jeonbuk's fourth late.

The second leg is at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Oct. 19.

Choi Kang-hee, who coached Jeonbuk to the title in 2006, was satisfied with the result and the prospect of returning to the final for the first time since losing to Al Sadd of Qatar in 2011.

"We know that we are now in a good position heading into the second leg" Choi said. "Seoul need the win and will know what they have to do but we know what we have to do also."

Seoul has never won the Asian title, and coach Hwang Sun-hong admitted that reaching the final for the second time in three years will be tough.

"We are disappointed with the result," Hwang said. "But the tie is not yet over."

The winner will take on Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates or El Jaish of Qatar. Al Ain has a 3-1 advantage from Tuesday's first leg.