The final group stage match of the AFC Champions League 2017 on Wednesday 9 May saw Group E Kashima Antlers and Group F Urawa Reds progressing to the round of 16 by securing the top spots and advance to the knockout phase of the competition.
Entering the final matchday in second place, Kashima clinched the group by edging 2-1 against group leaders Muangthong United at home. Urawa sealed the first place on better head-to-head record against second-placed Shanghai SIPG, who also fell short against Western Sydney Wanderers FC 3-2 on the same date.
And the matter of fact all the three Japanese outfits got through to the knockout stages by topping the group.
At the end of fifth match day, Kashima Antlers were at the second place and two points behind the group leaders Muangthong. To secure top position in the group, Kashima needed a win against the Thai Champions. Kashima Antlers forward KANAZAKI Mu left the field due to an injury, replaced by SUZUKI Yuma , who scored a brace for his side to capture an important win.
Kashima created several early chances by exploiting the space behind the opposing defenders, and a pair of close attempts came from midfielder DOI Shoma and midfielder LEO Silva in the 4th and 17th minutes, respectively. Then, after 19 minutes, Suzuki was put through cleanly by a brilliant through pass by midfielder ENDO Yasushi down the right flank, and the Kashima striker superbly dodged the challenge of the onrushing goalkeeper just inside the box to composedly slot home an opener from a tight angle.
Missing three key players including Spaniard XISCO who scored a stoppage-time winner in the previous 2-1 home encounter, visitors Muangthong threatened the hosts by fullbacks aggressively surging up the flanks and midfielder Chanathip SONGKRASIN, who will be loaned to J.League Sapporo Consadore this July, carving through the Kashima defence with his excellent dribbling skills.
Right on the stroke of halftime, Muangthong levelled the match with left fullback Theeraton BUNMATHAN splitting the Kashima defence on the left to square a neat pass towards forward Teerasil DANGDA in the less-guarded centre, where the Thai striker nutmegged an approaching defender on the turn to find himself in space to nail a stunner to the top corner from just outside of the box.
In search for a tiebreaker, Kashima came out aggressively with Doi cutting inside to attempt from range right after the break and PEDRO JUNIOR firing just outside of the box in the 54th minute, but both efforts failed to find the back of the net.
Thereafter, Kashima struggled to break through the Muangthong defence who stayed backed and created blocks in the centre, but it only took 6 minutes for the Japanese club to break the tie. On the hour mark, another brilliant cross from Endo on the right found Suzuki between the defenders in front of the goal. Then, the Kashima forward restored the lead with a header deflected off his own leg and past the Thai goalkeeper.
Now being one-goal behind, Muangthong came close to Kashima goal with a pair of threatening attempts. In the 62nd minute, Bunmathan went past the Antlers defence on the left flank to strike a shot at goal, and after 78 minutes, receiving a long ball off an interception, Dangda looked for an equaliser, but both efforts were guarded superbly by goalkeeper KWOUN Sun-Tae.
Last-ditch effort to equalise was put forth by the visitors through substitutions in the last 10 minutes, but Kashima managed the clock wisely by keeping possession and maintained a one-goal lead until the final whistle to grab an important win to climb to the summit of the group stage.
Assured of a place in the Last 16 after five games with four wins and one loss, Urawa entered the match with seven different players from the weekend league-match lineups, including midfielder TAKAGI Toshiyuki returning after four months from injury, winter transfer goalkeeper ENOMOTO Tetsuya and few reserves starting for the first time this season.
Partly due to the unaccustomed names to begin the match, Urawa never found their rhythm in the first half, and instead allowed the Korean counterparts to open the scoring with YOON Seok-Hyun’s goal in the 38th minute.
The storyline remained the same in the second half, as Urawa continued to struggle to find the attacking flair, and substitutes midfielder YAJIMA Shinya who recently recovered from injury and midfielder UMESAKI Tsukasa did little to change the scoreboard. Failing to strike an equaliser until the end of the match, Urawa fell short in a scoreless 1-0 defeat to FC Seoul and lost for the second time in their Asian campaign.
Level on points with Urawa after losing to Western Sydney on the same day, Shanghai SIPG remained in second place on worse head-to-head competition against the Japanese counterparts.
After today’s fixtures, the opponents of the round-of-16 matches for the three Japanese clubs were finalised. Kashima will face runners-up of Group G and two-time ACL champions Guangzhou Evergrande (China), Urawa will square off against second place of Group H Jeju United (Korea), and Kawasaki will meet Muangthong who dropped to second spot of Group E. Both Kawasaki and Kashima will play an away game on Tuesday 23 May, followed by a home game on Tuesday 30, while Urawa will battle the first leg on Wednesday 24 on the road and the second leg on Wednesday 31 at home.
Entering the final matchday in second place, Kashima clinched the group by edging 2-1 against group leaders Muangthong United at home. Urawa sealed the first place on better head-to-head record against second-placed Shanghai SIPG, who also fell short against Western Sydney Wanderers FC 3-2 on the same date.
And the matter of fact all the three Japanese outfits got through to the knockout stages by topping the group.
At the end of fifth match day, Kashima Antlers were at the second place and two points behind the group leaders Muangthong. To secure top position in the group, Kashima needed a win against the Thai Champions. Kashima Antlers forward KANAZAKI Mu left the field due to an injury, replaced by SUZUKI Yuma , who scored a brace for his side to capture an important win.
Kashima created several early chances by exploiting the space behind the opposing defenders, and a pair of close attempts came from midfielder DOI Shoma and midfielder LEO Silva in the 4th and 17th minutes, respectively. Then, after 19 minutes, Suzuki was put through cleanly by a brilliant through pass by midfielder ENDO Yasushi down the right flank, and the Kashima striker superbly dodged the challenge of the onrushing goalkeeper just inside the box to composedly slot home an opener from a tight angle.
Missing three key players including Spaniard XISCO who scored a stoppage-time winner in the previous 2-1 home encounter, visitors Muangthong threatened the hosts by fullbacks aggressively surging up the flanks and midfielder Chanathip SONGKRASIN, who will be loaned to J.League Sapporo Consadore this July, carving through the Kashima defence with his excellent dribbling skills.
Right on the stroke of halftime, Muangthong levelled the match with left fullback Theeraton BUNMATHAN splitting the Kashima defence on the left to square a neat pass towards forward Teerasil DANGDA in the less-guarded centre, where the Thai striker nutmegged an approaching defender on the turn to find himself in space to nail a stunner to the top corner from just outside of the box.
In search for a tiebreaker, Kashima came out aggressively with Doi cutting inside to attempt from range right after the break and PEDRO JUNIOR firing just outside of the box in the 54th minute, but both efforts failed to find the back of the net.
Thereafter, Kashima struggled to break through the Muangthong defence who stayed backed and created blocks in the centre, but it only took 6 minutes for the Japanese club to break the tie. On the hour mark, another brilliant cross from Endo on the right found Suzuki between the defenders in front of the goal. Then, the Kashima forward restored the lead with a header deflected off his own leg and past the Thai goalkeeper.
Now being one-goal behind, Muangthong came close to Kashima goal with a pair of threatening attempts. In the 62nd minute, Bunmathan went past the Antlers defence on the left flank to strike a shot at goal, and after 78 minutes, receiving a long ball off an interception, Dangda looked for an equaliser, but both efforts were guarded superbly by goalkeeper KWOUN Sun-Tae.
Last-ditch effort to equalise was put forth by the visitors through substitutions in the last 10 minutes, but Kashima managed the clock wisely by keeping possession and maintained a one-goal lead until the final whistle to grab an important win to climb to the summit of the group stage.
Assured of a place in the Last 16 after five games with four wins and one loss, Urawa entered the match with seven different players from the weekend league-match lineups, including midfielder TAKAGI Toshiyuki returning after four months from injury, winter transfer goalkeeper ENOMOTO Tetsuya and few reserves starting for the first time this season.
Partly due to the unaccustomed names to begin the match, Urawa never found their rhythm in the first half, and instead allowed the Korean counterparts to open the scoring with YOON Seok-Hyun’s goal in the 38th minute.
The storyline remained the same in the second half, as Urawa continued to struggle to find the attacking flair, and substitutes midfielder YAJIMA Shinya who recently recovered from injury and midfielder UMESAKI Tsukasa did little to change the scoreboard. Failing to strike an equaliser until the end of the match, Urawa fell short in a scoreless 1-0 defeat to FC Seoul and lost for the second time in their Asian campaign.
Level on points with Urawa after losing to Western Sydney on the same day, Shanghai SIPG remained in second place on worse head-to-head competition against the Japanese counterparts.
After today’s fixtures, the opponents of the round-of-16 matches for the three Japanese clubs were finalised. Kashima will face runners-up of Group G and two-time ACL champions Guangzhou Evergrande (China), Urawa will square off against second place of Group H Jeju United (Korea), and Kawasaki will meet Muangthong who dropped to second spot of Group E. Both Kawasaki and Kashima will play an away game on Tuesday 23 May, followed by a home game on Tuesday 30, while Urawa will battle the first leg on Wednesday 24 on the road and the second leg on Wednesday 31 at home.
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