AFC Champions League Elite
The win moved Go Kuroda’s side to 17 points with the possibility of topping the East Zone standings while Chengdu’s hopes of progressing came to an end, with the China PR side ending their campaign in 10th position.
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Already guaranteed a Round of 16 spot and with only three players in their starting line-up from Matchday Seven, Machida nonetheless took control from the start, with Ibrahim Dresevic forcing a save from Chengdu’s Liu Dianzuo in the third minute with his attempt from distance.
The Japanese side’s pressing paid off in the sixth minute when new signing Tete Yengi came in from behind the Chengdu defence to power home a fine cross from Kotaro Hayashi on the left.
The Japanese side’s pressing paid off in the sixth minute when new signing Tete Yengi came in from behind the Chengdu defence to power home a fine cross from Kotaro Hayashi on the left.
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Machida kept a frazzled Chengdu on their toes, with Futa Tokumura denied twice in the 12th minute and again six minutes later when the striker, also making his first appearance, sent a sizzling shot just wide of the left post.
A stunning 25th-minute strike from Ryohei Shirasaki, another tournament debutant, then extended the home side’s lead, with the midfielder blasting an unstoppable shot into the top right corner from 25 yards that gave Liu no chance whatsoever.
A stunning 25th-minute strike from Ryohei Shirasaki, another tournament debutant, then extended the home side’s lead, with the midfielder blasting an unstoppable shot into the top right corner from 25 yards that gave Liu no chance whatsoever.
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The China PR side pulled one back in the 32nd minute when Machida keeper Tatsuya Morita fumbled a back pass from Dresevic and gifted the ball to Chengdu skipper Wei Shihao, who gleefully slammed in from close range.
Yengi came close to restoring Machida’s two-goal advantage four minutes after the break when his effort from inside the six-yard box struck the right post but the Australian striker made sure in the 55th minute when he nodded in from close range past a flat-footed Liu.
Yengi came close to restoring Machida’s two-goal advantage four minutes after the break when his effort from inside the six-yard box struck the right post but the Australian striker made sure in the 55th minute when he nodded in from close range past a flat-footed Liu.
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The J1 League side slowed down their pace after the goal but still managed to threaten as Asahi Masuyama headed over in the 66th minute, captain Hokuto Shimoda failing to drop his cross in the path of an unchecked Kanji Kuwayama and Tokumura seeing his shot taking a deflection and going out of play.
Chengdu’s spirited attempts to reduce the scoreline paid off on the dot of regulation time when Felipe rose above his marker to guide his header into the bottom left corner past a flailing Morita as Machida wrapped up an impressive tournament debut.
Chengdu’s spirited attempts to reduce the scoreline paid off on the dot of regulation time when Felipe rose above his marker to guide his header into the bottom left corner past a flailing Morita as Machida wrapped up an impressive tournament debut.
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