Both the 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE sides in AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 action on Tuesday had to settle for points apiece, as Sanfrecce Hiroshima drew 1-1 at home to Shanghai Port FC and FC Machida Zelvia’s away clash with Johor Darul Ta'zim FC finished goalless.
Hiroshima opened the scoring in the 19th minute at Hiroshima Soccer Stadium, when Hayato Araki rose highest to powerfully head home Shunki Higashi's out-swinging corner from the right.
Kosuke Kinoshita almost doubled the hosts’ lead two minutes later but saw his effort from a Shuto Nakano cross well saved by Shanghai goalkeeper Chen Wei, who also kept out Hayao Kawabe’s low shot from distance in the 23rd minute.
Shanghai’s first clear chance came four minutes into the second half, Hiroshima goalkeeper Keisuke Osako doing well to repel Gustavo’s header from a Wei Zhen cross, and Mutsuki Kato then came agonisingly close to putting Hiroshima 2-0 up in the 64th minute, firing a close-range effort against the crossbar.
Hiroshima would come to rue that miss in the 83rd minute, when Shanghai forward Gabrielzinho carried the ball forward uncontested and rifled low past Osako from just inside the area to make it 1-1 and ensure the points were shared.
FC Machida also had to make do with one point from their trip to Malaysia, where they were unable to find a way past a resolute Johor side at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.
Asahi Masuyama had the first clear sight of goal for FC Machida in the 17th minute, but Johor goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi was equal to his lashed effort from a loose ball at a corner.
Yuki Soma then had a chance from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute, but while he sent Hazmi the wrong way his kick thundered back off the post.
Ager Aketxe went very close to giving Johor the lead in the 27th minute but dragged his shot just wide of Kosei Tani’s goal, and one minute later Henry Heroki Mochizuki drew another save from Hazmi with a fizzing drive from the corner of the penalty area.
Aketxe did get an attempt on target in the 83rd minute, but Tani dealt with it without too much trouble, and the closest FC Machida came to breaking the deadlock was when Takuma Nishimura spun and swept an effort past the post in the third minute of stoppage time.
