Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kashiwa: Naoki Wako’s header two minutes into injury time secured Kashiwa Reysol a 2-1 win over Shandong Luneng at Kashiwa Hitachi Stadium on Tuesday to ensure the J.League side remain in a strong position to advance to the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League from Group E.
Wako scored the winner after Walter Montillo had cancelled out Kosuke Taketomi’s first half opener for the 2013 semi-finalists, who remain unbeaten as the group stage of the competition reaches the halfway point.
Coaches' reaction: Yoshida thankful for Kashiwa's late winner
Taketomi gave Reysol the lead in the 23rd minute after the J.League club had dominated the opening 45 minutes, only for Montillo to cap an industrious performance with the equaliser six minutes into the second half of an open and entertaining game.
With the tie looking destined for a draw, Wako rose to head home in the 92nd minute, beating Wang Dalei in the Shandong goal to secure a second win in three AFC Champions League games for Tatsuma Yoshida’s side.
Shandong made a lively start with Kashiwa goalkeeper Takenori Sugeno twice called into action in the space of the first five minutes.
Montillo was the main threat as the Argentinian first forced a fine save from the Japanese goalkeeper before, from the resultant corner, Wang Qiang was denied at close range by Sugeno after steering Montillo’s centre towards goal.
Steadily, though, Reysol exerted their influence, and only poor finishing and the presence of China national team goalkeeper Wang kept the Japanese side at bay.
Taketomi went close after a low curling Kim Chang-soo cross unlocked the Shandong defence, only for his shot to hit the goalkeeper in the face and moments later Masato Kudo should have done better from close range, but his effort also hit Wang.
In the 23rd minute, though, Reysol took the lead as Kudo’s scuffed shot fell at the feet of Taketomi, who smashed the ball high beyond Wang and into the net.
Reysol almost doubled their advantage 10 minutes later only for Daisuke Suzuki’s header to come back off the Shandong crossbar before being cleared by the visiting defence, while in the 35th minute, Eduardo’s effort from the edge of the area was just wide.
Reysol held a deserved lead but, six minutes into the second half, Shandong pulled level with Montillo scoring into Sugeno’s top left corner as Cuca’s team sought their first points on the road in the 2015 continental championship.
Wang then denied Kudo in the 57th minute, dropping to his left to keep out the striker’s well-placed effort, while three minutes later Kudo was again causing problems, only this time his on-target shot was deflected wide for a corner off Zhao Mingjian’s head.
Brazilian substitute Cristiano saw his late effort pushed around the post by Wang as the game looked destined for a draw but, with half of the four minutes of allotted injury time elapsed, Wako’s firm header evaded the sprawling Shandong goalkeeper to seal all three points for Reysol.
Photo: WSG