SEOUL: Pohang Steelers inflicted a first Asian Champions League defeat on treble-chasing Vissel Kobe 3-1 on Tuesday, as Yokohama F-Marinos and Gwangju took another step towards the knockout round.

Japan’s Kobe racked up four wins and one draw from their opening five games but they could not cope with a hungry Pohang side looking to haul themselves into the eight qualification places in the East table.

Han Chan-hee and Kim In-sung gave the South Korean side an early two-goal lead before Kobe’s Daiju Sasaki pulled one back from the penalty spot before half-time.

Substitute Jeong Jae-hee added a late third to secure the win and lift Pohang out of the elimination zone in the East table.

Kobe, who have already won Japan’s domestic Emperor’s Cup and can clinch their second straight J. League title this weekend, are still on course for a place in the knockout round.

“We need to switch our focus from the Asian Champions League to the J. League now,” said Sasaki, whose team lead Sanfrecce Hiroshima by one point heading into Sunday’s final day of the domestic season.

Kobe were knocked off the East table top spot by Japanese compatriots Yokohama, who thrashed Australia’s Central Coast Mariners 4-0 away from home.

South Korea’s Gwangju stayed second after a 1-1 draw with China’s Shanghai Port.

At Pohang Steel Yard, the home side took the lead in the 13th minute when Han slammed the ball home from close range after Kobe had conceded an indirect free-kick for a back pass.

Veteran Kim made it two less than 10 minutes later when he charged down the right and arrowed in a shot across the goalkeeper.

Sasaki pulled one back from the spot after Lee Tae-seok pulled down Rikuto Hirose in the box, but Jeong had the last word with a breakaway goal in second-half injury time.

Yokohama also started quickly in their stylish victory over winless Central Coast.

Last season’s beaten finalists were three goals ahead by half-time after a brace from Kenta Inoue and one from Anderson Lopes, before substitute Jun Amano added a fourth goal after the break with a pin-point free-kick.

“We could have scored more goals and I could have got more myself, but we went into this game with a lot of determination,” Inoue said after leading Yokohama to their third straight win in the competition.

The result eliminated Central Coast, who have only one point from six games.

Gwangju were on course to become the first team to reach the knockout round when they took the lead against Shanghai, who then had Zhen Wei sent off early in the second half.

But the Chinese champions equa­lised from the penalty spot in the 76th minute through former Brazil and Chelsea midfielder Oscar.

In the day’s other game, Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim drew 0-0 at home to Thailand’s Buriram United.

RONALDO-LESS AL NASSR SUFFER FIRST LOSS

On Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo watched on from the stands as already-qualified Al Nassr lost for the first time in this year’s Asian Champions League Elite as they were beaten 2-1 in injury time by Qatar’s Al Sadd.

The Portuguese star, 39, was reportedly rested for the fixture in Riyadh given the Saudi club had secured their place in the knockout stages last week, with three rounds of the group phase remaining.

Ronaldo scored twice against Al Gharafa, another Qatari side, last time out, and then netted a double again in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.

However, the Al Nassr captain was omitted from Stefano Pioli’s matchday squad for the visit of Al Sadd.

Al Sadd took the lead eight minutes into the second half through Akram Afif, when the reigning AFC player-of-the-year raced from the halfway line onto a long ball.

Afif outpaced defender Mohammed Al Fatil and finishing low past Brazil goalkeeper Bento.

Al Nassr drew level on 80 minutes, once Brazilian youngster Wesley’s low cross was turned into his own goal by Al Sadd defender Romain Saiss.

However, there would be a huge sting in the tail for Al Nassr, when Afif was tripped inside the hosts’ penalty area and substitute Adam Ounas converted from the spot in the 99th minute.

With the defeat, Al Nassr stay third in the Western Region group stage, while Al Sadd move fourth to also claim a spot in the last 16.

The top eight teams qualify for the knockout stages.

Fellow Saudi side Al Ahli remain top — even if they surrendered their 100 percent record in this year’s tournament — thanks to an Ivan Toney double that secured a 2-2 draw with Iran’s Esteghlal in Jeddah.

The England striker twice equalised for the hosts from the penalty spot, with the first coming deep into first-half injury time and the second converted in the 86th minute. Esteghlal had Mohammed Hossein Eslami sent off five minutes before.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2024