Kawasaki Frontale was unable to take the final step to continental glory on Saturday, falling to a 2-0 defeat to Al-Ahli Saudi FC in the AFC Champions League Elite final.
Two goals in seven first-half minutes from Galeno and Franck Kessie were enough to seal the title for Al-Ahli, and although Kawasaki-F gave their all to find a way back into the contest Shigetoshi Hasebe’s side just couldn’t find a way through Al-Ahli’s regimented backline.
Al-Ahli started brightly and called Kawasaki-F goalkeeper Louis Yamaguchi into action inside the first five minutes, and he did well to turn a stinging Ivan Toney effort behind for a corner.
Kawasaki-F also had an early sight of goal as Marcinho used his searing pace to break in behind in the 11th minute, but the Brazilian’s shot squeezed agonisingly wide of the far post.
As the first half wore on Al-Ahli’s pressure started to increase though, with Toney shooting into the side-netting, Roger Ibanez bending an effort just wide, and Roberto Firmino sending another attempt straight at Yamaguchi.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 35th minute, when Roberto Firmino laid off to his fellow Brazilian Galeno and he arced a beautiful effort into the top corner.
Things went from bad to worse for Kawasaki-F seven minutes later, and with Sota Miura off receiving treatment Al-Ahli capitalised on their man advantage and Kessie headed home Roberto Firmino’s cross from close range to make it 2-0.
Kawasaki-F knew they had to go for it after the break, and in the 57th minute Yasuto Wakizaka sent an inviting ball to the back post from deep that Miura’s replacement Sai Van Wermeskerken couldn’t quite get enough of a connection on to send goalwards.
Tatsuya Ito, another substitute, then threatened twice for Kawasaki-F as the clock ticked down and they committed more men forward.
First up, in the 76th minute, a left-footed effort from the edge of the area whistled just wide, before Ito again went close two minutes later, firing across goal and just off target after a corner had reached him at the far post.
That was to be as close as Kawasaki-F would come though, and having previously only made it as far as the quarter-finals the MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE side had to be satisfied with a runners-up finish.
