India, Nov. 7 -- In the end, it was easy; Hwacheon KSPO emerging 3-1 winners against Ho Chi Minh City FC but till the third minute of injury-time in the first half, it was 0-0. That's when Lee Subin latched on to a deflection and drove through on goal. She sped past NTH Nhung and as Ho Chi Minh City goalkeeper TTK Thanh left her line, Lee scored with a deft placement. Early in the second half, Lee ghosted into the penalty box and fired home a first-timer. Game over.

The 3-1 win for the South Korean league champions - they completed a domestic treble in 2025-26 - on a humid Saturday afternoon sealed a quarter-final berth in the AFC Asian Women's Champions League. And it happened in the main because their skipper led from the front, litera...