There were mixed results for the three MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE clubs in ACL action on Tuesday night, although each of FC Machida Zelvia, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and Vissel Kobe were already assured of progression to the Round of 16 before their last group stage fixtures.
Tete Yengi got FC Machida up and running in just the seventh minute against Chengdu Rongcheng FC at Machida Stadium, glancing in a header from the edge of the six-yard box after an inviting cross from just outside the penalty area by Kotaro Hayashi.
Ryohei Shirasaki then doubled FC Machida’s lead in phenomenal style in the 25th minute, sweeping home an unstoppable strike from 25 yards after Futa Tokumura had rolled the ball into his path.
Wei Shihao pulled a goal back for the visitors seven minutes later, capitalising upon a mis-control by FC Machida goalkeeper Tatsuya Morita, but Yengi was on hand to re-establish the hosts’ two-goal advantage with another close-range header 10 minutes into the second half, this time converting after Kanji Kuwayama’s ball in from the right.
Chengdu’s Felipe then scored a header of his own in the 90th minute to make for a nervy finish, but FC Machida managed to preserve their 3-2 lead and make sure they finished top of the 12-team group on 17 points.
Elsewhere, Hiroshima fell behind in just the 10th minute at Mokdong Stadium - FC Seoul’s Patryk Klimala giving his side the lead from the penalty spot after Hayao Kawabe had fouled Choi Jun.
Things got even worse for Hiroshima 17 minutes later, when Naoto Arai headed into his own net at the near post when attempting to defend a Jeong Seung-won corner from the left.
Hiroshima rallied tremendously at the last to make sure they are certain of a top four finish though, hitting back with two goals in injury time to climb to 15 points.
First, in the third added minute, Ryo Germain stretched to tuck in a ball across goal from Sota Nakamura, and then three minutes later Kosuke Kinoshita dramatically made it 2-2 as he headed in Takaaki Shichi’s cross from the left.
Kobe’s clash away to Johor Darul Ta’zim was a far tighter affair, and with JDT still in need of points the hosts were the more threatening side over the 90 minutes at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.
After having two goals ruled out for offside JDT finally struck the only goal of the game in the 73rd minute, Jairo slipping the ball across goal for Marcos Guilherme to clip in from close range and secure a 1-0 victory for his side.
Even so, Kobe had already done enough to book their place in the knockout stage, and they ended the day in second place, one point behind FC Machida and one ahead of Hiroshima.
