Wednesday 7 March saw the third Sec. of the group stage in the AFC Champions League 2018 (ACL). Kawasaki Frontale failed to grab their first victory in Group F after conceding a last-minute equaliser to draw at home against Melbourne Victory (Australia) 2-2, while Kashima Antlers in Group H won the away game against Sydney FC (Australia) 2-0 for their second straight victory.

Kawasaki F is making its sixth championship appearance, two years in a row, and first as J. League champions. However, they have suffered two consecutive losses in group play, making this match against Melbourne a must win game to keep their hopes alive to get through the group stage. They came out connecting short passes in their build-ups to approach the opponent’s goal.

In the 28th minute, following a good sequence of passes by Kawasaki F in the left side, midfielder IENAGA Akihiro’s pass was clear by the opposing side. Defender Elsinho reacted to this clear ball and struck the opener with his left foot.

Melbourne, who finished as the runner-up in the A-League last season, faced the match with the same starting line-ups as they had in their league match against Melbourne City FC last weekend. They have an ongoing winning streak in their league in Australia, seeking for a win in the ACL as well. Forward Leroy George initiated attacks from the side, while forwards James Troisi, Kosta Barbarouses, and Besart Berisha combined with each other to create chances, but the team struggled to find their rhythm in attack.

30 minutes into the match, while holding a one-goal lead, Kawasaki F started to get mixed up in defence. Melbourne pounced on this opportunity. Following shots from Berisha and Barbarouses, the Aussie side earned a corner kick in the 36th minute. The delivery found Berisha who took a shot in the goal-mouth scramble. This shot would end up in the goal after being deflected by a Kawasaki defender.

Kawasaki F struggled to convert their chances until the 55th minute, where they were finally able to showcase their style to score the go-ahead goal.

Defender Elsinho attacked the right flank and sent the ball to midfielder OSHIMA Ryota, who delivered a through ball behind the opposing defensive line. Forward KOBAYASHI Yu reacted to this feed, cutting back the ball towards the centre. Defender NOBORIZATO Kyohei, who played as a left midfielder in this game, got to the end of this delivery and scored with his left foot, giving his team a 2-1 lead.

Kawasaki F took the initiative by keeping possession. Midfielder NAKAMURA Kengo came off the bench in the 83rd minute, followed by midfielder HASEGAWA Tatsuya in the 88th minute.

Melbourne also used their substitution, utilising their young players. In the closing minutes of the match, Melbourne initiated an attack on the left side. Forward Christian Theoharous, who came off the bench, penetrated the penalty area drawing a foul to earn his side a penalty kick. George successfully converted the spot kick, levelling the game 2-2 just before the final whistle.

After failing to sustain their lead, Kawasaki F missed out on their opportunity to mark their first win. The team stays at the bottom of their group after three games with two losses and a draw. To advance to the round of 16, they must be one of the top two teams in their group. Although they did earn one point, Kawasaki F has put themselves in a tough position.

Group F leader Shanghai SIPG (China PR) drew with second place Ulsan Hyundai (Korea Republic) 2-2. Shanghai SIPG now has seven points, followed by Ulsan Hyundai with five points. Melbourne is in third place with two points from their two draws and a loss. With three matches remaining, Kawasaki F must close down the four-point gap between them and the second place Ulsan side.

Kashima maintained their top spot with straight wins

Kashima bested the A-League champions Sydney FC 2-0, keeping their lead in Group H.

With consideration of the tight match schedule, forward KANAZAKI Mu and defender SHOJI Gen were left behind from Kashima’s squad for this trip. They have also rotated eight players from the starting line-ups from their weekend league match against Gamba Osaka.

In the 40th minute, midfielder DOI Shoma managed to flick the shot taken by forward SUZUKI Yuma following a corner kick to change the course of the shot to slot it into the goal, scoring the opening goal for his side.

The league leaders from Australia created chances through their midfielder Adrian Mierzejewski, former Poland National Team member and the third highest scorer in the league, threatening Kashima’s goal, but goalkeeper SOGAHATA Hitoshi showed superb saves to keep the clean sheet.

Kashima kept their focus throughout the match, earning another corner kick in the 87th minute. The delivery from NAGAKI Ryota was flicked by defender YAMAMOTO Shuto’s header from the near post, allowing defender UEDA Naomichi to head the ball into the net. With this goal, Kashima would go on to win the match 2-0.

In the same group, second place Suwon Samsung (Korea Republic) drew with Shanghai Shenhua (China PR) 1-1 at home. Suwon Samsung now has four points from a win, a loss, and a draw, followed by Shanghai Shenhua in third place with their three draws. Sydney stays in fourth place with one point. Kashima now has seven points with two wins and a draw, and may be able to secure a spot to the Round of 16 in the next Sec.

The fourth Sec. will be held on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 March. Each team will play against the same opponent from this Sec., swapping venues between home and away.

Coaches' and Players' Comments

ONIKI Toru, Coach (Kawasaki Frontale)
We are left with nothing but disappointment after failing to win the match. The players displayed their colour throughout the match, but the result did not come out the way we intended. We had to keep our focus until the very end… The goal we conceded was unfortunate because we weren’t necessarily out played. We will just have to focus on the decision makings and concentration level of each individuals through our daily trainings. Earning just one point in three matches is something we haven’t envisioned, but what’s important is how we react to this situation moving forward.

DF Elsinho (Kawasaki Frontale)
It’s such a shame to have this result after dominating the match. We conceded goals purely from our own mistakes. We will talk it out as a team to improve and feed off of this. Next match is going to be an away game, so it’ll be a tough challenge for us, but we will prepare well for it.

FW KOBAYASHI Yu (Kawasaki Frontale)
We were willing to do whatever it takes to win today and stayed vocal throughout the game. However, we became a little careless at the end. I believe that a strong team never ever drops its guard. We need to rethink as a team and share a mutual understanding.

Kevin Muscat, Coach (Melbourne Victory)
We managed to equalise the match at the very end, and I’m pleased with this result. Especially knowing we face them again, this time at our home. Both teams attacked aggressively and performing well. Kawasaki is an excellent team. They always manage to sustain 55-60% possession in the J. League and the ACL. That’s why we tried to increase our possession, to apply pressure. As a result, we managed to earn the penalty kick at the end, which brought us the equaliser.

Tournament Period：30 January 2018 (Tue.) ～ 10 November 2018 (Sat.)

Tournament Information