Vissel Kobe made it two wins from two in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 on Wednesday, Koya Yuruki striking the winning goal deep into injury time as the two-time defending MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE champions beat Melbourne City FC 1-0 at Kobe City Misaki Park Stadium.
Kobe made 10 changes from the team that beat Shimizu S-Pulse 2-1 in the 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE on Saturday, including handing a debut to former Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda, and the first half chance of the evening fell the way of Melbourne in the 21st minute.
After a free-kick was cleared into Zane Schreiber’s path just outside the Kobe area his shot was blocked by Matheus Thuler though, and 11 minutes later Gustavo Klismahn almost punished Melbourne goalkeeper Patrick Beach after a mis-hit clearance, but Beach made amends for his error by tipping the Brazilian’s fierce drive from 30 yards over the bar.
That was as close as either side would come to opening the scoring in the first period, and the game of attrition continued after the restart as well, with the clearest sight of goal not coming until the 79th minute when Beach again frustrated Kobe - remarkably denying Taisei Miyashiro after the substitute had headed Gotoku Sakai’s looped cross into the box goalwards.
Miyashiro came agonisingly close in the first minute of stoppage time as well, firing an effort narrowly off target after Yuruki had side-footed another Sakai cross back across goal and into his path by the penalty spot.
Kobe must have feared at that stage that they’d have to make do with a point, but Yuruki made sure of all three for his side three minutes later after some impressive perseverance on the frontline.
Miyashiro played a ball in behind for Yuruki to chase, and while the forward got there ahead of Nathaniel Atkinson he found Beach equal to his first effort, with the keeper having torn off his line to close down the angle.
Kobe were dealt a stroke of luck as the ball ricocheted off Melbourne’s Samuel Souprayen and fell straight into Yuruki’s path in front of goal though, and the 30-year-old made no mistake with his second opportunity, gleefully slamming home to deliver the win.
