Two 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE sides picked up points as they got their AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 campaigns underway on Tuesday, with Sanfrecce Hiroshima winning 2-0 away to Melbourne City and FC Machida Zelvia picking up a 1-1 draw at home to FC Seoul.
Hiroshima’s first chance at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium came in the 29th minute, when Shuto Nakano whipped in an inviting cross from the right and Marcos Junior caught a volley sweetly at the back post. Melbourne goalkeeper Patrick Beach was equal to the attempt though, palming it away to safety.
That was as close as either side came to scoring in the first half, but Hiroshima did take the lead seven minutes after the restart when Marcos Junior coolly converted from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Beach.
Hiroshima thought they had doubled their advantage eight minutes later when Mutsuki Kato tucked in from close range, but he had been returning from an offside position and saw his effort ruled out.
Michael Skibbe’s side did get the second goal their efforts deserved in the 81st minute though, Yotaro Nakajima bravely heading home Nakano’s fizzing cross into the area - although he was forced off with a head injury as a result, after a clash with Melbourne defender Harrison Shillington.
Meanwhile, FC Machida were forced to battle back from a goal down to make sure they took a point from their debut in continental competition, Henry Heroki Mochizuki equalising for Go Kuroda’s side after Marko Dugandzic had given Seoul the lead.
The hosts started the brighter of the two sides at Machida City Nozuta park Stadium, and Na Sangho forced a smart save from Seoul goalkeeper Choi Chul-won in just the second minute, before Choi tipped Yuki Soma’s curling effort onto the post in the 31st minute.
Seoul then moved in front 14 minutes into the second half, when Dugandzic met Jesse Lingard’s inch-perfect low ball into the penalty area from the right wing and steered beyond Kosei Tani in the FC Machida goal.
Mochizuki was on hand to pull FC Machida level with 10 minutes remaining, however, tucking in at the back post after Shota Fujio had helped on Hokuto Shimoda’s cross from the left-hand side.
FC Machida gave it everything they had in the closing minutes as they went in search of a winner, but Takuma Nishimura fired a fierce effort from the edge of the area just over in the 90th minute and Fujio also saw a close-range volley fly over the bar in the fourth minute of injury time, meaning they ultimately had to make do with a share of the spoils.
