Central Coast Mariners have continued their poor A-League form on the Asian stage suffering a 2-0 AFC Champions League defeat on Tuesday evening against FC Seoul in the South Korean capital.
Goals in each half proved enough for FC Seoul to collect a comfortable win in the Group F opener and continue the Mariners' recent misery.
A visit to last year's continental runners-up was always going to be a tough ask for Central Coast on the back of a four-match A-League losing streak.
However, a tough task for the Mariners was made even harder with the home side awarded a highly contentious first-half penalty. Mariners' fullback Josh Rose was adjudged to have fouled striker Sergio Escudero despite limited contact and no appeals from the home side. Spanish defender Osmar converted the spot-kick off the inside of the post on 33 minutes.
After a low-key opening, the match sprang to life on the quarter-hour mark with a searing long-range shot from Osmar which forced goalkeeper Liam Reddy into a block at full stretch. Mariners skipper John Hutchinson was then forced to clear off his own goal-line as Yun Il-Lok directed a shot goalwards from the ensuing corner.
Although FC Seoul comfortably dominated possession, there were few scares for the Mariners until the penalty.
Rose missed a gilt-edged opening for the Mariners early in the second half and it was to prove costly with the home side soon doubling their lead. Il-lok scored with a smart finish just before the hour mark after sharp lead-up work from the ever-dangerous Escudero.
FC Seoul played with increasing confidence after the second goal and only an impressive close-range stop from Reddy denied Kim Chi-Woo a third goal.
The Aussie club's night went from bad to worse six minutes from fulltime with defender Marcel Seip given a red card for a dangerous challenge on Il-lok.
Former FC Seoul playmaker Kim Seung-Yong turned in a low-key performance on his continental debut for the Mariners.
In the other Group F match, Beijing Guoan forced a 1-1 draw at Japanese champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
