12-03-2025
Asani strikes late to knock Kobe out of Asian Champions League
KAWASAKI, Japan, March 12 (Reuters) - Vissel Kobe crashed out of the Asian Champions League Elite on Wednesday when Jasir Asani's extra-time winner saw Gwangju FC overturn a two-goal deficit to progress to the last eight with a 3-0 win in South Korea as Kawasaki Frontale also advanced.
Asani scored two minutes from the end of the the additional period to take the South Korean debutants into the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate. Park Jeong-in and Asani netted in normal time to level the tie against the J-League champions.
Park Jeong-in gave the home side the lead in the 18th minute, beating Kobe keeper Daiya Maekawa with a looping header from Park Tae-jun's free kick.
But it was not until the 85th minute that the Koreans drew level on aggregate, Asani netting from the penalty spot after referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim punished a handball by Takuya Iwanami.
Asani smashed in the winner in the 118th minute, cutting inside to strike from distance with a left-foot shot.
"It was a very hard game but I'm so happy because it's emotional to win 3-0 at home," said Asani, who joined Anderson Lopes as the tournament's top scorer with nine goals.
"I didn't sleep for two days because I was thinking about this game because it's hard for us."
Kawasaki overturned a 1-0 first-leg loss to down Shanghai Shenhua at Todoroki Stadium as Shigetoshi Hasebe's side handed the Chinese Super League team a 4-0 defeat to seal a 4-1 aggregate victory.
Kawasaki claimed a deserved opener in the 24th minute when Asahi Sasaki smashed an unstoppable shot beyond Bao Yaxiong, beating the goalkeeper at his near post from 18 yards.
The home side pulled clear with a dominant second-half performance, Erison claiming the second in the 64th minute with a first-time finish from Sasaki's ball over the top of the defence.
Tatsuya Ito threaded a finish between Bao and the defence four minutes later to score the third and Marcinho completed the rout from close range in the first minute of added time.
Kawasaki and Gwangju joined J-League side Yokohama F Marinos, and Saudi Pro League trio Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr in the quarter-finals along with Qatar's Al-Sadd and Buriram United from Thailand.
The draw will be made on Monday in Kuala Lumpur with the remaining phases of the competition played in a centralised venue in Jeddah.
