Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kashiwa: Goals from Brazilian Eduardo and Kosuke Taketomi helped Kashiwa Reysol overcome former winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3-2 in the AFC Champions League on Tuesday and claim top spot in Group E as they secured their passage to the Round of 16 with a game to spare.
After a disappointing 1-1 draw with Vietnam’s Becamex Binh Duong on Matchday Four, K-League Classic champions Jeonbuk coach Choi Kang-hee recalled eight players for the match at the Hitachi Kashiwa Stadium but it was the Japanese side who had the better of the opening stages and went in front inside 10 minutes through a fine header from Eduardo.
And the 2013 semi-finalists went into the halftime break with a 3-0 advantage after two goals from Taketomi, the first a wonderful individual effort and the second a finish from close in after good work from Brazilian forward Christiano, looked to have given them a comfortable lead.
But the Koreans came out stronger after the interval and scored twice through captain Lee Dong-gook – who is now all-time leading scorer in the AFC Champions League with 27 goals - but despite a late rally, Kashiwa were able to hold on to advance to the next stage ahead of their away tie at Binh Duong on Matchday Six next month.
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The hosts were on the front foot from the off and they took the lead in the ninth minute after Naoki Wako’s inswinging corner from the right was met with a towering header by Eduardo that looped over goalkeeper Kwoun Sun-tae from 12 yards.
Jeonbuk then had their first chance of note after 15 minutes when the ball fortuitously broke to Lee just inside the penalty box, but Kashiwa keeper Takanori Sugeno was quick off his line to save the Korean striker’s goalbound effort with his left leg.
The J.League side then doubled their advantage on the 20-minute mark when Taketomi picked up the ball 30 yards from goal before breaking into the box from the left hand side and curling a beautiful right foot effort into the bottom left corner to give Kwoun in the Jeonbuk goal no chance.
And worse was to follow for the visitors as Kashiwa went three goals to the good in the 39th minute after Cristiano turned two defenders by the right touchline before skipping past another as he burst into the box and squaring for Taketomi to knock in from three yards out.
The Koreans had the better of the possession after the interval and gave themselves a glimmer of hope in the 65th minute when substitute Lee Kyu-ro’s deep cross from the right was first headed into the air by Lee before he then acrobatically finished at the second attempt with a fine overhead kick from 15 yards.
And Choi’s side almost pulled another back when Brazilian striker Edu chased onto a long ball over the top before firing a powerful effort on the bounce towards the top right hand corner that was superbly saved by Sugeno.
But Jeonbuk did score a second two minutes later when the ball fell to Lee just outside the penalty area and he then fired a fizzing right foot drive into the back of the net.
The away side pushed hard for an equaliser in the final 10 minutes but Kashiwa were able to hold out to book their place in the last 16 of the continental competition.
Photo: WSG