The first leg of the 2017 AFC Champions League quarter-finals took place on Wednesday night, with Kawasaki Frontale earning a 3-1 win over fellow J.League competitors Urawa Reds at Todoroki Stadium.

It took 33 minutes for the hosts to break the deadlock, with Yu Kobayashi scoring the opener after a display of clever passing broke down the Reds defense. 

Elsinho followed up in the 50th minute when he pounced on a loose ball to extend the hosts’ lead to 2-0.

Reds substitute Yuki Muto cut the deficit to 2-1 when he broke through the Frontale backline in the 76th minute to grab an important away goal, but Kobayashi again found the back of the net in the 85th minute to set the final score at 3-1.

The second leg will take place on September 13 at Saitama Stadium, with a spot in the East Zone final at stake.