Frontale give Reds the blues in Asian clash
KAWASAKI, Japan: Twinkletoed Japan striker Yu Kobayashi scored twice Wednesday as Kawasaki Frontale beat JLeague rivals Urawa Reds 3-1 in their Asian Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Kawasaki’s captain proved a handful throughout for the overrun Reds, driving in a low left-foot shot after 33 minutes to cap a period of sustained pressure from Frontale.
Kobayashi’s pace led to a second goal for the home side six minutes into the second half when his stinging shot was blocked by goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa, allowing Brazilian Elsinho to volley home the rebound.
Urawa substitute Yuki Muto snatched an away goal against the run of play in the 76th minute that looked to have given the Reds a lifeline before the second leg in Saitama on September 13.
But Kobayashi gave Kawasaki a deserved third goal five minutes from time, rising at the back post to head home a cross from Akihiro Ienaga.
Kawasaki, currently third in the J-League table to Urawa’s seventh, will be favourites to go on to face either Shanghai SIPG or Guangzhou Evergrande in the tournament semi-finals.
“It was important to make sure we got the win at home,” said Kobayashi, who also scored twice in last month’s 4-1 thrashing of Urawa in the J-League.
“But we conceded an away goal and we know we still have to go there and finish the job.”
Japanese sides have struggled in the Asian Champions League since Gamba Osaka were the country’s last winners in 2008, and Chinese teams could prove a tough nut in the last four again this year.
Shanghai hold an overwhelming advantage in their quarter-final with Guangzhou after a 4-0 rout of their Chinese rivals on Tuesday, helped by a double from Brazilian international Hulk. – AFP