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Pohang Steelers coach Sergio Farias described his team's AFC Champions League victory as "an amazing feeling".

Pohang Steelers beat Al Ittihad 2-1 in a thrilling final at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

Forward No Byung-jun fired the K-League giants ahead with a 57th-minute free-kick before Korea Republic centre-back Kim Hyung-il extended their lead with a brilliant 65th-minute header from Kim Jae-sung's right-sided free-kick.

Ittihad, who had a host of first-half opportunities and hit the bar soon after the restart through Amine Chermiti's header, responded in the 74th minute through captain Mohammed Noor's close-range volley, but Pohang held on for a nail-biting victory.

The AFC title earned Sergio Farias's side a spot in next month's FIFA Club World Cup in the UAE and marked the third time the Steelers have won Asia's top club prize after winning the former Asian Club Championship in 1997 and 1998.

"It's an amazing feeling. It was a tough match. Al Ittihad were very good from midfield to their forwards, and also stopped us from attacking as we'd usually like," said Farias, 42.

"They marked us intently and we tried hard to be more creative, so it's lucky we were able to score from set-pieces. That was perhaps the only thing Al Ittihad didn't do well today," added the Brazilian.

Ittihad lost their first AFC Champions League final after wins in 2004 and 2005. However, Argentine coach Gabriel Calderon was proud of the Saudi Arabian champions, who created a number of good opportunities and brought the best out of Pohang goalkeeper Shin Hwa-yong.

"I'd like to congratulate Pohang from the bottom of my heart. Our players did their best, but their efforts did not bear fruit today," said Calderon, who played at the 1982 and 1990 World Cups, losing in the final of Italia 90.

"We didn't win, but I was very happy with the way they played. We had at least six opportunities, but were not able to convert them, while Pohang scored twice from set plays."

Both teams fulfilled their promise of playing attacking line-ups and Ittihad had their first strike on goal after 25 seconds, when Morocco international Hicham Aboucherouane fired into the side netting from an acute angle following a defensive mix-up.

In the 11th minute, Noor played an incisive through ball to Amine Chermiti in the area, but the Tunisia striker's shot was brilliantly deflected by captain Hwang Jae-won's sliding tackle. Three minutes later Pohang midfielder Kim Tae-su tried his luck with a dipping shot but Mabrouk Zaid saved low to his right.

In the 22nd minute, Ittihad centre-back Redha Takar rose powerfully to meet Saleh Al Saqri's free-kick, but the 33-year-old's header was directed straight at Shin. In the 29th minute, Pohang's Macedonia striker Stevica Ristik shot wide after a one-two with No Byung-joon.

Aboucherouane then thrilled the crowd in the 35th minute, when his thunderbolt free-kick from 30 yards arrowed toward the top-right corner only for Shin to pull off a tremendous save. Midfielder Ahmed Hadid then took a 20-yard free-kick five minutes later, but the Oman international's shot dipped just over the crossbar.

Ittihad then hit the woodwork within two minutes of the restart, when Chermiti's dipping header from Al Saqri's left-sided cross came off the crossbar.

Chermiti had another golden opportunity in the 55th minute but put his half-volley from six yards out over the crossbar from Aboucherouane's left-sided cross, the effort following a series of desperate blocks by Pohang's defenders.

Ittihad were to regret that miss when Saud Khariri fouled Denilson just outside the area and No curled a low free-kick through the wall and inside the left post. Buoyed by taking the lead, Denilson flashed a shot wide of the post in the 61st minute.

Pohang added a second in the 65th minute when Kim Hyung-il did brilliantly to head Kim Jae-sung's right-sided free-kick into the top corner, although the combative centre-back hurt himself in the duel with Takar.

Ittihad bounced back when a left-sided cross was headed goalwards by Chermiti's far-post header and Shin could only palm the ball as far as Noor, who volleyed in from close range.

The Tigers came close to equalising when some great build-up play by Noor and Chermiti released Argentine substitute Luciano Leguizamon whose powerful shot from the edge of the area was brilliantly saved by Shin.

Soon after, No had a powerful shot saved by Zaid and Denilson showed great footwork to get down the right byline but his cross evaded his teammates.

In the 82nd minute, Pohang thought they had scored after a free-kick was headed in, but the effort was blown for offside.

Ittihad kept plugging away at the Pohang goal, but their best effort came when Aboucherouane shot just wide with an injury-time free-kick, which had to be retaken twice after Steelers players rushed out too early.

The AFC Champions League title continues Pohang's remarkable record under Farias, who took over in 2005. The Steelers won the K-League in 2007, the FA Cup last December and the League Cup in September, and are also in the final stages of this year's K-League play-offs.