Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sydney: Japan’s Kashima Antlers picked up a second successive win in the AFC Champions League Group H after a 2-0 victory away at Sydney FC in Wednesday’s Matchday Three tie.
The A-League side kicked off without two key players in the starting line-up, in the shape of Brazilian striker Bobo and Serbian playmaker Milos Ninkovic, and struggled to create chances ahead of the interval.
And, indeed, with five minutes of the half remaining, it was the Japanese visitors who broke the deadlock.
The Sydney FC defence failed to deal with Ryota Nagaki’s corner from the right and Yuma Suzuki’s subsequent shot-cum-cross was re-directed past Andrew Redmayne by Shoma Doi at the back post.
Adrian Mierzejewski could have tied the scores just after the hour-mark after a fine pull-back from Alex Brosque, but his sliding effort was too close to Hitoshi Sogahata who pulled off a smart save.
And the Polish star was denied again by Sogahata shortly after following good link up play from second half substitute Bobo and Brosque.
But it was Kashima who again found the net and had the final say, once more from a set-piece. Defender Naomichi Ueda headed firmly past Redmayne after Shuto Yamamoto had flicked on another Nagaki corner.
Kashima will host Sydney FC in the return leg at Kashima Soccer Stadium next week with the Australian side desperately looking to get their first win of the continental campaign to remain in with a chance of reaching the Round of 16.