Soccer-Kobe, Kawasaki confirm progress to last 16 of Asian Champions League
11/02/2025 14:42
By Michael Church
Feb 11 (Reuters) - Japanese champions Vissel Kobe booked
their place in the knockout rounds of the Asian Champions League
Elite on Tuesday with a 4-0 thrashing of China's Shanghai Port
as compatriots Kawasaki Frontale confirmed their progress to the
last 16.
Kawasaki cruised to a 4-0 win over 10-man hosts Pohang
Steelers in South Korea to claim their berth in the next phase
with one round of matches remaining.
South Korea's Gwangju FC will advance despite their 3-1 loss
against Chinese Super League side Shandong Taishan while
Tuesday's results mean Yokohama F Marinos, who are third in the
12-team standings and play on Wednesday, are also through.
Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim, meanwhile, kept their
qualification hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Australia's
Central Coast Mariners.
The top eight finishers in the league phase in both east and
west Asia qualify for the last 16, with matches in the knockout
phase to be played in March. Teams will then advance to
centralised finals in Saudi Arabia in April and May.
Yoshinori Muto gave Kobe the perfect start when he struck in
the 11th minute against Shanghai Port as former Yokohama F
Marinos manager Kevin Muscat endured a torrid return to Japan
with the Chinese Super League champions.
Yuya Kuwasaki added the second nine minutes after halftime
with a shot that thumped in off the underside of the crossbar
and, little more than a minute later, Koya Yuruki finished off
an incisive counterattack for Kobe's third.
Osako saw his 78th minute penalty saved by Yan Junling but
the former Japan striker swept in his side's fourth three
minutes later when he made a decisive first-time connection with
Takahiro Ohgihara's free kick.
The win keeps Kobe on top with 16 points from seven games
ahead of Kawasaki in second, one point adrift, while
third-placed Yokohama F Marinos are on 13 points and guaranteed
a top eight finish ahead of Wednesday's meeting with Shanghai
Shenhua.
Kawasaki took the lead against Pohang through Shin Yamada's
38th minute header before Jonathan Aspropotamitis was dismissed
for a second bookable offence. Late goals from Yasuto Wakizaka,
So Kawahara and Erison ensured Kawasaki will advance.
JDT also capitalised on undermanned opponents, registering a
2-1 win over Central Coast after goalkeeper Dylan Peraic-Cullen
was sent off for a foul on Arif Aiman late in the first half
with Alvaro Gonzalez scoring twice to move his side up to fifth.
Shandong cruised to their win over Gwangju with first half
goals from Valeri Qazaishvili, Zeca and Cryzan securing the
points that take the Chinese side up to sixth.
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Christian Radnedge)
((Michael.Church@thomsonreuters.com; +852 9023 4874;))