Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Thu Dau Mot City: Ryoichi Maeda’s brace helped FC Tokyo secure a second appearance in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League after a 2-1 victory over Vietnam’s Becamex Binh Duong in Group E on Wednesday.
Needing a win to guarantee progression to the knockout phase, Tokyo took a deserved lead shortly after the 20-minute mark at Binh Duong Stadium when Maeda headed home from close in before the forward bagged his second with a fine strike 10 minutes after the interval.
Le Cong Vinh’s penalty midway through the second half gave the hosts hope before he struck the bar late on, but Tokyo held out to claim the runners-up spot at the expense of Jiangsu FC, who played out a 2-2 draw with Korea Republic's Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in Wednesday's other Group E encounter.
“It was a really tough game today, especially because we had to win, so I’m happy with the result and to reach the next round,” said Tokyo coach Hiroshi Jofuku, whose side will face Group G winners Shanghai SIPG in the Round of 16 in a fortnight.
“The players were tired because of the hot weather, so they could not perform at 100% of their ability.
“Binh Duong played quite well today, but our players kept their concentration to secure victory.”
Tokyo should have opened the scoring 10 minutes in after Maeda’s nimble footwork helped him manoeuvre his way across the Becamex backline before playing in Keigo Higashi only for the midfielder to shoot over from eight yards under pressure from goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong.
But the visitors then did take the lead on 21 minutes when Kota Mizunuma slipped in Kento Hashimoto, who dinked a lovely cross over the outrushing Bui Tan Truong for Maeda to head into an empty net for his second goal of the group stage.
Defending a four-game unbeaten run at home in the continental competition, though, Becamex responded positively with forward Cong Vinh firing just wide from the edge of the area a minute later.
Tokyo then could have opened up a two-goal lead soon after when Higashi played in Nathan Burns, but the Australian’s first touch inside the area let him down at the vital moment.
And despite the Japanese side having the better of the possession, Becamex almost equalised a minute before the interval when Cong Vinh’s wonderful drive from fully 30 yards struck the outside of the right post.
Burns again should have done better five minutes after the restart when Moses Oloya’s misplaced pass fell to him inside the Becamex half but, after breaking into the penalty area, the frontman was off target from 15 yards.
But another careless ball five minutes later, this time from substitute Christian Amougou, ended up with Maeda, who fooled the Becamex defence with a neat step-over before placing a beautiful left-foot shot from outside the area beyond the reach of Bui Tan Truong to give the visitors breathing space.
The home side pulled one back on 68 minutes, though, after Yuichi Maruyama brought down Cameroonian Amougou, and Cong Vinh coolly dispatched the ensuing penalty.
And the in-form forward almost equalised in the dying minutes when his speculative, curling effort from well outside the penalty area rebounded back off the crossbar.
“It was a real pity that Le Cong Vinh hit the post and the crossbar rather than scoring,” said Becamex coach Nguyen Thanh Son.
“Tokyo didn’t play so well because of the hot weather and I think we deserved to draw the game, but that’s football.
“We have improved a lot this season so I believe that we will be even better next year.”
Photo: Lagardère Sports