Sept 16 (Reuters) – Vissel Kobe secured a 2-1 win over Port FC through Yoshinori Muto’s deft finish as the Japanese side made the perfect start to the league phase of the Asian Champions League Elite in Thailand on Wednesday.
The former Japan international netted in the 61st minute to seal all three points for Michael Skibbe’s side, who had taken the lead in the 10th minute through Ren Komatsu.
Komatsu had put the J-League outfit in front from close range when Diego’s long throw into the Port penalty area was flicked on by Issei Takahashi and the striker pounced.
But the unfortunate Komatsu was to find the back of the net at the other end of the pitch in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time when he redirected Issam Al-Sabhi’s header over his own goal-line.
Muto, however, hit the winner when he was played in on goal by fellow substitute Yuya Osako before lifting a calm finish over Port goalkeeper Michael Falksgaard as last season’s semi-finalists picked up all three points.
Meanwhile, former champions Jeonbuk Motors battled back from going a goal down to win 2-1 against Kashiwa Reysol in Jeonju.
Kenshin Yuba’s individual effort put the Japanese side in front in the 30th minute, but Tiago Orobo levelled the scores three minutes into the second half with a header.
Italo claimed the points for Jeonbuk in the 69th minute, the Brazilian powering past a pair of Kashiwa defenders before sliding his shot into the bottom corner of Ryosuke Kojima’s goal.
The top eight finishers in both east and west Asia will advance to the knockout rounds from the league phase, which has been expanded from 24 to 32 teams for the latest edition of the competition.
The last 16 matches will be played on a home-and-away basis in March while the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will be held in Saudi Arabia in a centralised format in April and May.
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Christian Radnedge)
