Tag Archives: AFC Champions League

J.League, Samurai Blue and Nadeshiko Fixtures (Football Japan Fixtures Calendar 2013)

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A full, comprehensive fixtures calendar for the forthcoming Japanese football season, including kick-off times and stadium addresses, and which covers J.League Divisions 1 and 2, the Yamazaki Nabisco and Emperor’s Cups, the AFC Champions League matches in which Japanese sides are participating, and senior Men’s and Women’s internationals can be accessed at the following links:

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iCal (.ics file type) is compatible with most calendar software including Google Calendar, Apple iCal, Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes and Yahoo Calendar. It will also work with Android and Apple smartphones and tablets. Any updates made to the calendar as the season progresses will automatically be reflected on your device.

To add the Calendar to a Google Calendar, click “Other Calendars”, then “Add by URL”. Copy and paste the iCal link provided above into the field marked “URL”, then click “Add Calendar”. The Football Japan calendar will be added to your list of calendars. A summary of these instructions on the Google website can be found here.

To add the Calendar to an iOS device, tap the “Settings” icon. Tap “Mail, Contacts, Calendars”, and then “Add Account…”. Then press “Other”, and “Add Subscribed Calendar”. Copy and paste the iCal link from above into the “Server” field, and press “Next”. Your device will then attempt to verify the subscription, and once successful, simply choose “Save” to complete the subscription. However, if you have any other Apple devices it is highly recommended that you first subscribe via Calendar or iCal on OS X, before adding the calendar on iOS. See page 67 of the current iPad User Guide here for further information if required.

Details on how to subscribe to the calendar using Microsoft Outlook can be found here, for Lotus Notes users a video guide has been produced here, and details on subscriptions via Yahoo Calendar are available here.

If you wish to see Japan Football League or L.League fixtures added to the calendar, or if you have any feedback or suggestions, please send me an email or contact me on Twitter at

広州恒大 (Guangzhou Evergrande) 1 FC東京 (FC Tokyo) 0

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FC Tokyo’s 1-0 loss to Chinese Super League giants Guangzhou Evergrande ended all J.League interest in the 2012 AFC Champions League, making it three tournaments in four in which Japanese teams have failed to progress beyond the Round of 16 since it was introduced in 2009.

Despite dominating possession, the Gas had fewer opportunities of note, Muriqui proving especially wasteful for the Southern China Tigers, and it wasn’t until the belated introduction of Hiroki Kawano that they were able to convert sustained possession into an attacking threat, his first touch a cross for Lucas which was headed against the woodwork. The transformation was almost instantaneous, and manager Ranko Popovic may reflect on how his side might have performed had he been allowed more than the 10 minutes in total he spent on the pitch.

The potent attacking line of Cleo, Miriqui and Gao Lin, with the Argentine midfielder Dario Conca assisting between the lines and new manager Marcello Lippi at the helm, will provide difficult opposition for most sides, particularly at the Tianhe Stadium, but the AFC must surely now revisit the Round of 16 and extend it to a standard two-leg stage, rather than the single elimination contest as it currently stands. The 2012 competition saw six of the eight group winners and subsequent home sides advancing to the quarter-finals, with just Bunyodkor winning away without the need for a penalty shootout, and making this 19 of 24 teams since 2010 who have won at home.

울산 현대 (Ulsan Hyundai) 3 柏レイソル (Kashiwa Reysol) 2

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Kashiwa Reysol became the second J.League club in as many days to exit the AFC Champions League at the hands of a South Korean outfit, and continued the abymsal record of Japanese sides taking on K-League teams in the Round of 16, which now reads seven contests and six losses.

A disappointingly small crowd at the Big Crown was treated to an enthralling tie, a first-half surprisingly ending goalless but showing many signs of the drama that would unfold in the second period. The opening forty-five minutes were notable mainly for Ulsan’s almost total domination, the Sun Kings having no answer to the aerial threat posed by Kim Shin-Wook who won headers at will, while Juan Velez, combative in midfield, broke up Reysol attacks with ease, providing a platform for the livewire Lee Keun-Ho to attack in the channels. Jorge Wagner was guilty of cheaply giving away possession of the ball, and provided little support for Daisuke Nasu as he was all too frequently drawn into the centre of midfield. Fortunately for Reysol, Ulsan could not make their superiority tell, Lee and Kim Seung-Yong in particular unable to find the finishes that their side deserved.

It came as little surprise that the Tigers opened the score, but it owed much to shabby defending from Reysol, arriving shortly after Go Seul-Ki had rattled the crossbar. Nasu, in possession 35 yards from goal, attempted to play a crossfield pass to teammate Hidekazu Otani, but merely succeeded in presenting the ball to the feet of Lee Keun-Ho, inviting the South Korean international to advance and to subsequently square into the penalty area. Kim Shin-Wook’s header found the bottom left corner, but his goalscoring duties were made considerably easier by neither Tatsuya Masushima or Naoya Kondo taking responsibility for challenging the striker as he rose to nod home from just six yards.

The goal, however, roused Reysol to action for the first time since the opening moments of the match, and they spent much of the remaining 35 minutes dictating possession and territory. After Naoya Kondo had first gone close with a swerving shot which evaded the right upright by inches, and then Junya Tanaka had turned superbly inside the Ulsan 18-yard box and seen his low cross drift past the outstretched boot of Leandro Domingues, Tanaka himself had a superb opportunity to bring his side level. Played onside by Kim Young-Sam, the pass from Leandro Domingues carved the defence open and left the striker with only Kim Seung-Gyu to beat. This he did with aplomb, but then his attempted finish was hit straight at Lee Jae-Seong on the goalline, when a shot placed either side of the right-back would have resulted in an equaliser.

Fortunately for Tanaka, Reysol would be level two minutes later, and it was a goal defined by its simplicity. Taking a throw on the right ten yards from the Ulsan goalline, Tatsuya Masukawa launched the ball into the penalty area, Leandro Domingues heading first time beyond Kim Seung-Gyu.

Having made their pressure tell, the visitors would suffer a body blow, conceding a goal in controversial circumstances on 70 minutes. Substitute Maranhao split the Reysol back line with a pass to Lee Ho, and Kondo’s attempt to put the the midfielder’s pull back for a corner snuck inside Sugeno’s left post. Referee Mohamed Al Zarooni awarded the goal in the face of furious protests from several Reysol players who were convinced that the ball had not fully crossed the line, and they were duly waved away.

Now pressing for a second equaliser, Reysol always risked being caught on the counter-attack, and Lee Keun-Ho was given the run of the Reysol half as Ulsan broke quickly from defending a corner. With a third goal almost certain to put the tie beyond the reach of Nelsinho’s side, he took the ball into the penalty area, but Sugeno saved at the forward’s feet to ensure that only a single goal still separated the sides.

With five minutes of normal time to go, Masakatsu Sawa, on for Hideakzu Otani, was given the chance to score his side’s second, but saw his shot blocked, Leandro Domingues’s initial effort pushed out by Kim Seung-Gyu and just beyond Masato Kudo following up.

Lee Keun-Ho killed the game off shortly after. Go Seul-Ki drove a pass to the feet of Kim Shin-Wook, and his delightful flick was volleyed first time into the bottom left corner. A thumping Junya Tanaka strike to reduce the margin to one goal in stoppage time came too late to serve as anything other than consolation.

Reysol, having suffered the same fate as Nagoya Grampus yesterday, also face the same challenges as their J.League counterparts in domestic competition, with manager Nelsinho needing to coax consistent performances from his team to ensure they rise up the table. A further headache for the Brazilian may present itself when his players return from the international break, as star right-back Hiroki Sakai has been heavily linked with a move to Bundesliga club Hannover 96 and any transfer involving the attack-minded 22-year old would inevitably have negative consequences on the prospects of Champions League football in 2013.

Ulsan Hyundai Kashiwa Reysol
Goalscorers Min Goalscorers Min
Kim Shin-Wook 54 Leandro Domingues 67
Naoya Kondo (O.G.) 71 Junya Tanaka 90+1
Lee Keun-Ho 88
Substitutes Min Substitutes Min
Kim Seung-Yong
Maranhao		 67 Hidekazu Otani
Masakatsu Sawa		 77
Lee Ho
Kang Jin-Ouk		 86 Masato Kudo
Ryohei Hayashi		 86
Cautions Min Cautions Min
Kim Shin-Wook 58 Hiroki Sakai 21
Leandro Domingues 60

Ulsan Hyundai: 4-3-3/4-5-1 (Blue); Kashiwa Reysol: 4-4-2 (Yellow)

AFC Champions League: Round of 16 live-blog – 울산 현대 (Ulsan Hyundai) v 柏レイソル (Kashiwa Reysol)

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0 Min: Kashiwa Reysol are one of Japan’s two sole remaining participants in the 2012 AFC Champions League following Nagoya Grampus’ exit in the Round of 16 stage yesterday. The Sun Kings travel to the Big Crown to take on Ulsan Hyundai, unbeaten winners in Group F and the only side to defeat FC Tokyo at the group stage, running out 1-0 winners in the battle for group supremacy on Matchday Six.

Reysol, meanwhile, lost two of their three away games, their inconsistency in this competition mirroring their form in the J.League, and progress was only secured courtesy of their first win on their travels in Korea against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Reysol will be aiming to better the record of Japanese teams meeting K-League sides at this stage of the competition. Since the Round of 16 was introduced in 2009, five of six have been won by teams from the Land of the Morning Calm.

Former Gamba and Cerezo Osaka midfielder Akihiro Ienaga, who also spent some time at Oita Trinita before his move to Spanish side RCD Mallorca, is on the bench for the Horangi. The 25-year old midfielder moved to Ulsan for the 2012 season on loan.

0 Min: Ulsan Hyundai – Kim S-G; Lee J-S, Kang M-S, Kwak T-H; Lee H, Kim S-Y, Kim Y-S, Go S-K, Juan Velez; Kim S-W, Lee K-H

Substitutes – Kim Y-K; Choi J-S, Kang J-O; Kim D-S, Park S-I, Ienaga; Maranhao

0 Min: Kashiwa Reysol – Sugeno; Kondo, Sakai, Masushima, Nasu; Otani, Leandro Domingues, Jorge Wagner, Kurisawa; Tanaka, Kudo

Substitutes – Inada; Hashimoto, Fujita; Sawa, An Y-K, Barada; Hayashi

0 Min: We’re about six minutes from kick-off at a practically empty Big Crown, a very disappointing turnout for what is deemed to be Asia’s premier club tournament. While the skies in Ulsan are overcast, temperatures of 18 degrees and light winds provide almost ideal playing conditions for football.

0 Min: The players are on the pitch, and it will be Ulsan to get this tie going. Ulsan are in blue, Reysol in their standard yellow kit.

2 Min: Lee Keun-Ho breaks down the left wing as a Tatsuya Masushima long throw is cleared, and Kim Shun-Wook turns inside Daisuke Nasu. His touch is too strong, and Reysol are able to recover.

4 Mins: Leandro Domingues bursts past three players in midfield before Kang Min-Soo brings his run to an end for a throw.

6 Mins: Wagner wins the ball on halfway from a dallying Kwak Tae-Kwi, and is free on the left. He makes the shooting angle more difficult for himself as he takes the ball to the edge of the area, and it’s an easy take for Kim Seung-Gyu.

8 Mins: Kwak Tae-Hwi takes a free kick long downfield, aiming for Kim Shin-Wook. The striker meets the ball, and under pressure from Naoya Kondo, Lee Keun-Ho lifts his effort over Sugeno but inches over the crossbar.

9 Mins: Ryoichi Kurisawa finds Junya Tanaka twenty yards from goal, who lays off to Domingues. He turns and fires a snap-shot straight at Kim Seung-Gyu.

11 Mins: A good pass from Hidekazu Otani to Tanaka sees the forward clipped, and the official blows for the offence. He may have played the advantage with Sakai loitering on the right.

12 Mins: A lovely set piece from Domingues finds Kudo, but he can’t crane his neck enough to direct his header on target.

15 Mins: Beyond the opportunity offered to Lee Keun-Ho, it’s a promising first quarter of an hour for Reysol, alert in defence and matching the Horangi in midfield. Certainly they are appear technically the better side to this point.

17 Mins: A second long free-kick from Kwak Tae-Hwi is won in the air by the home side, but Reysol clear following-up.

18 Mins: A cross from the left is delivered by Kang Min-Soo, flicked on by Kim Shin-Wook and Lee Keun-Ho is in on goal. It’s a superb save from Takanori Sugeno, who is as big as possible in the Reysol goal to stop Lee volleying home from point blank range.

20 Mins: The one deficiency Reysol suffer from is an inability to deal with a direct approach and under an aerial threat. Ulsan are attempting to exploit this as often as possible, Kim Shin-Wook winning most headers inside the Sun Kings’ penalty area.

21 Mins: Hiroki Sakai goes into the book.

22 Mins: Mid-way through the opening period, it’s Ulsan Hyundai 0 Kashiwa Reysol 0.

24 Mins: Reysol have begun to struggle after a fairly positive first 15 minutes, Leandro Domingues embarking on another mazy run but with little support and no passing options he is tackled. Lee Keun-Ho then has his shirt pulled by Naoya Kondo, a giving away a free-kick in an advantageous position for Ulsan.

25 Mins: The free-kick is bent to Kim Shin-Wook, who wins the ball easily again, but his header is safely into the arms of Takanori Sugeno.

28 Mins: Juan Velez is winning most of the possession in midfield. Otani and in particular Domingues need to make more of an impression in the tackle.

32 Mins: A cross is met by Lee Keun-Ho this time, but his flick on is gathered by Sugeno before Kim Shin-Wook can shoot.

33 Mins: Jorge Wanger is incredibly wasteful on a rare foray into the Ulsan half. He has two players in space to pass two around the Horangi’s penalty area, but finds neither. The ball is returned to him, but he then attempts a flick which fails to come off and Ulsan can bring the ball out of defence.

36 Mins: Facing away from goal and attempting to control a Lee Ho throughball on his chest, Naoya Kondo is climbing over the back of Lee Keun-Ho, and Ulsan have a free-kick just twenty yards from goal.

36 Mins: Kwak Tae-Hwi awaits, but slams his shot into the face of Hideakazu Otani in the Reysol wall, who stays down for some treatment after being poleaxed by the strike.

41 Mins: Ulsan have a further chance to take the lead. Yet another long ball out of defence causes Reysol problems. It’s missed by Kim Shin-Wook, but Sakai leaves Kim Seung-Yong unattended at the back post, and running on to the bouncing ball he powers his header over the net.

43 Mins: Lee Keun-Ho is down near halfway, crumpling under a challenge from Hidekazu Otani. The official doesn’t signal for any offence, and Keun-Ho is on his feet after a minute or so.

45 Mins: Two minutes of added time to be played at the end of a first period in which Ulsan have dominated and should be leading.

45 Mins+2: The time added on passes without incident.

HT: Ulsan Hyundai 0 Kashiwa Reysol 0

HT: Manager Nelsinho has a number of issues to resolve are Reysol to progress to the quarter-finals. Wagner, wasteful in possession, is providing little protection in midfield and to his left-back being constantly drawn into the centre of midfield and allowing Lee Keun-Ho almost free reign on the right. Reysol also show few signs of having equipped themselves adequately to deal with crosses, Kim Shin-Wook winning headers at will for his forward partner.

HT: No changes to report for either side as the players return to the field. Can Reysol find a way of neutralising Kim Shin-Wook’s aerial presence in this second period?

46 Mins: Domingues and Tanaka get the second half going.

47 Mins: Domingues crosses along the six yard box, but it’s fractionally too strong for Kudo to control and shoot.

48 Mins: CROSSBAR! Ulsan first hit the crossbar and then Sugeno makes an excellent stop on the line. Masushima can only head backwards in attempting to clear a cross, and it falls to Go Seul-Ki, who shoots across Naoya Kondo, hitting the underside of the crossbar and bouncing out. Kim Shin-Wook tries to head into the net from the rebound, but Sugeno reacts quickly to beat the ball away.

49 Mins: Wagner’s cross can’t find a Kashiwa Reysol foot to turn an excellent low delivery into the net.

51 Mins: Sakai protests at being penalised for a challenge on Lee Keun-Ho near the Reysol goalline, but it’s definitely an infringement. The official spots an offence as the free-kick is struck, and Reysol can clear.

55 Mins: GOAL! They have been threatening all match, and Kim Shin-Wook gives Ulsan Hyundai a deserved lead, but it comes as a result of quite dreadful Reysol defending. Otani misplaces a pass which Lee Keun-Ho intercepts on the edge of the Sun Kings eighteen yard box, and he floats a cross for an entirely unmarked Kim Shin-Wook to head home, Masushima and Kondo either side of the striker but neither challenging for the header.

55 Mins: Ulsan Hyundai 1 Kashiwa Reysol 0

57 Mins: With Reysol now forced onto the offensive, a swerving shot from Naoya Kondo is only inches away from the right upright from twenty yards.

59 Mins: Domingues is shown a yellow card, first penalised for some tugging of the shirt on Velez, and then shown a reaction to some words which came his way from the Ulsan midfielder.

61 Mins: So, so close to an equaliser for Reysol. Tanaka turns superbly inside the penalty area, and manages to find a cross which is just too far from Leandro Domingues’ outstretched boot four yards from goal. Reysol have been transformed since they went behind.

64 Mins: A foul on Kim Shin-Wook on forty yards allows Ulsan some breathing space. Kim wins the subsequent header, but it doesn’t bother Sugeno, bouncing well off target.

65 Mins: Junya Tanaka must score. And doesn’t. Onside in the penalty area from Domingues pass, he beats the onrushing Kim Seung-Gye, but then can’t beat Lee Jae-Seong who clears off the goalline. The scores should be level.

66 Mins: Maranhao replaces Kim Seung-Yong in the first substitution of the contest.

67 Mins: GOAL! Reysol have been the better since the goal, if certainly not the match, and he heads home a Tatsuya Masushima long throw into the right corner of the net.

67 Mins: Ulsan Hyundai 1 Kashiwa Reysol 1

69 Mins: Jorge Wagner then sees a raking effort pushes wide by Kim Seung-Gyu, the corner wasted as the referee spots some pushing in the penalty area.

70 Mins: GOAL! A body blow for Kashiwa Reysol. Naoya Kondo tries to divert Lee Ho’s low cross behind for a goal kick, but it’s rolling over the line as Sugeno dives to stop its momentum. The Reysol players are furious, and the camera angles aren’t helpful from the replays, but it looks like the ball may have crossed the line. The Sun Kings need to reply all over again.

70 Mins: Ulsan Hyundai 2 Kashiwa Reysol 1

75 Mins: An unnecessary challenge from Leandro Domingues on goalkeeper Kim under a ball he was never going to win sees the Ulsan stopper require some treatment.

76 Mins: Just under fifteen minutes left to play. Can Reysol find a second equaliser to force this game into extra-time?

77 Mins: Hidekazu Otani has played his last with Masakatsu Sawa entering the fray.

78 Mins: Junya Tanaka takes the wrong option, shooting from 20 yards straight at Kim Seung-Gyu as Sawa was free inside the penalty area.

78 Mins: Tanaka landed on Lee Ho’s ankle as returned to the turf from his shot, and he sees in a great deal of pain as he is removed from the field on a stretcher.

80 Mins: As we enter the last ten minutes, all the pressure is from Reysol. Masukawa has a long throw headed away, Wagner shooting first-time on the rebound, and deflected behind for a corner.

83 Mins: Lee Keun-Ho, who has spurned a number of chances to score, is put through one-on-one with Sugeno, and should score, but the goalkeeper claims the ball at the forward’s feet. Reysol are still in this, just.

85 Mins: Sawa should score the second for Reysol, but can’t force the ball past Kim Young-Sam who blocks. A lovely short pass from Tanaka allowed Domingues to shoot, which Kim Seung-Gyu manages to push just behind Masato Kudo following up. Sawa can’t find the finish.

88 Mins: GOAL! Game over. A pass from Go Seul-Ki is met with a lovely flick from Kim Shin-Wook, and Lee Keun-Ho is finally able to finish with a volley into the bottom left corner.

88 Mins: Ulsan Hyundai 3 Kashiwa Reysol 1

90 Mins: There will be four additional minutes to play. Three successive efforts from Reysol are all cleared away.

90 Mins+2: GOAL! Junya Tanaka thunders a strike into the top left corner from a very tight ankle, after good work from Leandro Domingues with his back to goal and a fine pass from Sawa to find the Brazilian. Some hope for the Sun Kings.

90 Mins+2: Ulsan Hyundai 3 Kashiwa Reysol 2

90 Mins+4: It’s just not enough for Reysol. Referee blows his whistle for full-time, and it’s all over at the Big Crown.

FT: Ulsan Hyundai 3 Kashiwa Reysol 2

FT: There might be some controversy over the second Ulsan goal, and there will be some debate as to whether the ball fully crossed the line, but it took Reysol to go behind before they were able to rouse themselves for this contest. Both sides spurned a number of opportunities in front of goal, but there’s little doubt as to which team deserved to win the contest on merit. Manager Nelsinho now faces the same task as that awaiting Dragan Stojkovic, finding away of lifting his team away from the bottom half of the table and then attempting to qualify for the 2013 competition.

FT: I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s coverage. You’ll find a full match report on Football Japan later today.

アデレード・ユナイテッド (Adelaide United) 1 名古屋グランパス (Nagoya Grampus) 0

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Dragan Stojković and his Nagoya Grampus team were left to reflect on what might have been had they taken one of many chances and not faced an opposition goalkeeper in Eugene Galekovic who was in excellent form and who produced one of the saves of the tournament so far. Instead, one of the three Japanese sides through to the knockout stage bade farewell to the 2012 AFC Champions League, losing to a 42nd minute goal from Adelaide United defender Jon McKain, who scored in slightly fortuitious circumstances.

After Grampus goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki had been forced to push behind a teasing cross from the effervescent left-midfielder Iain Ramsay, Dario Vidosic’s corner was headed goalwards by Nigel Boogard, the defender another Reds player who acquitted himself well during this match. Taking a deflection off Daniel, McKain somehow managed to insert himself in between Shohei Abe at the back post and Narazaki, to find the touch needed to send the ball into the net and out of reach of Josh Kennedy’s desperate goalline lunge.

Beyond Fabian Barbiero passing up a glorious opportunity of wrapping up victory seven minutes from the end of play, picking up a loose ball on the edge of the Grampus eighteen-yard box and haring past Takahiro Masukawa before blazing over Narizaki’s crossbar, and a thunderous twenty yard strike from substitute and Adelaide favourite Sergio Van Dijk which didn’t dip enough and cannoned back off the woodwork, control of the tie, most particularly in the second period, was largely that of the visitors.

Eight minutes of the first period remained when Jungo Fujimoto and Josh Kennedy linked well on the left, the Australian striker unselfishly pulling the ball back for Keiji Tamada when he could have taken the option to shoot, but his fellow forward lashed his shot over the crossbar under little pressure and when he should certainly have found the target.

On 63 minutes Fujimoto, whose set piece delivery would trouble United regularly during the course of the contest, bent a free-kick beyond the penalty spot, Masukawa meeting the ball but directing it too close to Galekovic from eight yards. While the keeper did well to scoop the ball behind for a corner, the defender failed to place the ball in the yawning gap to Galekovic’s left, and surely would have scored with a more precise finish.

Masukawa nearly made amends fifteen minutes from time, as he intercepted to the right of the Adelaide eighteen yard area and whipped a delivery that substitute Mu Kanazaki, who surprisingly replaced Keiji Tamada at half-time, attempted to steer into the net with a falling header, but again Galekovic pushed it away from goal.

Moments later Masukawa was again involved, this time to Grampus’s deficit, a Fujimoto corner from the right finding Kennedy’s head on the edge of the six yard box. It was on the way to goal when it was diverted away from danger by the defender’s shoulder, and Tulio was unable to apply the necessary contact amid complaints that he had been pulled down by Bruce Djite, a potential offence being one of many missed by official Abdul Malik who proved maddeningly inconsistent over the 90 minutes.

Fujimoto came within inches of levelling for his side in the dying moments of the match. Evan Kostopoulos, who had only been on the pitch for ten minutes, gave away a free-kick 25 yards from goal in stoppage time. With Malik failing to add additional time on to the three already specified while ensuring the United defensive wall had retreated to the required distance, it became Grampus’s last chance of the match. His set piece cleared the wall, but while Galekovic was beaten on this occasiion, the ball clipped the wrong side of the right upright.

The goalkeeper’s best moment was reserved for the first half, however, and it came seven minutes before McKain had bundled home. A wicked delivery from Shohei Abe was headed downwards by Kennedy, who would have been convinced that he was going to score. Galekovic confounded his expectations with an extraordinary reaction save, flinging out a strong palm to turn the ball high behind for a corner and drawing admiring comparisons to Gordon Banks’s famous stop from Pele in the 1970 World Cup, and he then immediately followed up with two punches to clear dangerous crosses from either side of the penalty area.

It was fitting that the final action of the match would see the ball in man of the match Galekovic’s hands, before he cleared long downfield and started his team’s celebrations. In his most-match comments Stojković paid tribute to United’s stopper, saying “[He] was absolutely fantastic today, the most valuable player and hero of the game – his saves were incredible.” Grampus now face the challenge of attempting to qualify for the 2013 incarnation of the competition, the most immediate task being to break out of the number of teams around the relegation places, and only then building a series of results which could see them challenge for the top four when J.League Division One resumes on 16 June.

Adelaide United Nagoya Grampus
Goalscorers Min Goalscorers Min
Jon McKain 42
Substitutes Min Substitutes Min
Zenon Caravella
Sergio Van Dijk		 68 Keiji Tamada
Mu Kanazaki		 46
Dario Vidosic
Evan Kostopoulos		 82 Taishi Taguchi
Hayuma Tanaka		 68
Bruce Djite
Teeboy Kamara		 88 Kensuke Nagai
Teruki Tanaka		 72
Cautions Min Cautions Min
Zenon Caravella 54 Daniel 74

Adelaide United: 4-1-4-1 (Red); Nagoya Grampus: 4-3-3 (Grey)

AFC Champions League: Round of 16 live-blog – Adelaide United v 名古屋グランパス (Nagoya Grampus)

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0 Min: Adelaide United and Nagoya Grampus do battle for a quarter-final place in the AFC Champions League today, the single tie elimination round taking place at the Hindmarsh Stadium courtesy of the Reds winning Group E, four draws for Grampus one of the main reasons why they failed to win Group G. The teams are as follows:

0 Min: Adelaide United – Galekovic, Boogard, McKain, Mullen, Cassio, Caravella, Vidosic, Djite, Ramsay, Barbiero, Fyfe

Substitutes – Van Dijk, Golec, Watson, Birighitti, Usucar, Kostopoulos, Kamara

0 Min: Nagoya Grampus – Narazaki; Tanaka Tulio, Masukawa, Abe, Daniel; Fujimoto, Ogawa, Taguchi; Tamada, Kennedy, Nagai

Substitutes – Takagi; Ishibitsu Tanaka H; Kanazaki, Tanaka Teruki, Alessandro Santos; Maki

0 Min: The players are out on the pitch, Josh Kennedy sharing a few words with some of his fellow Socceroos. We’re about three minutes from kick-off, captains Eugene Galekovic and Tulio Tanaka contesting the coin toss.

1 Min: Referee Abdul Mailk from Singapore blows his whistle, and it’s Josh Kennedy and Keiji Tamada who get the match underway.

2 Mins: A poor start for Grampus, Tulio bringing down Bruce Djite in a very central position 25 yards from goal after ceding possession from the kick-off. Cassio and Dario Vidosic are over the ball to take left-footed, five men in the wall.

2 Mins: It’s Vidosic who strikes, bending right-footed over the wall but it floats clear of Seigo Narazaki’s crossbar.

5 Mins: Grampus comfortable in posession around the defence and midfield, but Adelaide are not pressing beyond their own half and are winning possession cheaply as Grampus enter Australian territory.

6 Mins: After winning the ball from Josh Kennedy, a fine pass from midfield by Dario Vidosic is swung right to left to Iain Ramsay, who controls before firing high and wide on the left edge of the penalty area.

7 Mins: Ramsay then crosses into the eighteen yard box searching for Djite, but it’s a comfortable take for Narazaki.

9 Mins: Keiji Tamada and Jungo Fujimoto exchange passes around the box, Tamada choosing to clip the ball into the six yard area with the outside of his left foot, and it’s cleared behind for a corner.

9 Mins: Fujimoto’s corner is dangerous, but it’s headed clear across goal. Tamada appears to be brought down, but instead Grampus are penalised for a challenge by Daniel.

10 Mins: Ten minutes played, it’s Adelaide United 0 Nagoya Grampus 0.

12 Mins: A talking to is required for Zenon Caravella, who is very lucky to escape a yellow card for a challenge in midfield. The set piece forty yards from goal comes to naught.

15 Mins: Disappointing from Keiji Tamada. Grampus have a 3v3 scenario from 35 yards, but Tamada’s pass is listless and knocked back to goalkeeper Galekovic to clear.

16 Mins: Caravella is penalised for another infringement on Taguchi.

17 Mins: There are some interesting decisions being made by referee Malik at the moment.

19 Mins: The game has gone rather quiet at the moment, though it’s notable that Adelaide are seeking to use Iain Ramsay on the left at every opportunity, perhaps in the belief that he has the better of the Grampus right-back.

23 Mins: Nagoya nearly find a way through, but after a clever turn from Kennedy to deceive an Adelaide defender, he can’t find the burst of pace needed to reach the throughball before Galekovic.

24 Mins: Daniel is deemed to have brought down Djite 25 yards from goal, this free-kick further to the right but still in a very good position from which to test Narazaki. The set piece is a complete waste, as Vidosic falls to connect properly with the short lay-off.

27 Mins: Masukawa has a chance from distance, Abe finding Nagai inside the penalty area, but as he feeds the right-back eighteen yards from goal, he drags the shot wide of Galekovic’s right upright.

28 Mins: Djite wins another free-kick from Daniel, both players holding each other’s shirts but it’s the Grampus defender who is penalised.

29 Mins: Iain Fyfe barges into goalkeeper Narazaki with little chance of winning the ball, Malik choosing to have a chat with the bearded defender but no more.

31 Mins: After Tulio is beaten coming out of defence in midfield, he recovers well to stop Djite’s cross from the right finding an Adelaide player.

33 Mins: A beautiful sweeping crossfield ball should be controlled by Yoshizumi Ogawa on the right touchline, but he is unable to bring the ball down and it goes harmlessly for a throw-in to Adelaide.

34 Mins: A magnificent save from Eugene Galekovic stops Josh Kennedy from giving Grampus the lead. Abe’s cross is superb, and Kennedy heads downwards anticipating the ball finding the net. Galekovic’s reactions are superb and he sends out a strong left palm to push behind for a corner.

35 Mins: Two consecutive crosses are then punched away by Galekovic, before a third clears his crossbar to ease the pressure on Adelaide United.

37 Mins: Good link play between Fujimoto and Kennedy gives Tamada a chance to score, but he lifts it over the bar. The midfielder really should have found the target. Grampous domination of the match now clear, but a failure to take their chances against a defence which has conceded few could be costly for Stojkovic’s side.

39 Mins: Another save by Galekovic, this time an easier take as Kennedy flicks on but Tamada can’t find the power to put it past the Adelaide stopper sliding in on goal.

40 Mins: Five minutes left in the first period, it’s Adelaide United 0 Nagoya Grampus 0.

41 Mins: A testing delivery from Ramsay gives Adelaide their first corner of the match, Narazaka tipping behind under his crossbar.

41 Mins: GOAL! What did I say about failing to take chances? Entirely against the run of play, Adelaide take the lead. Defender Jon McKain appears to get the final touch on the ball after Boogard heads the corner goalwards. It glances off Daniel, and the Australian is able to get his body between Narazaki and the ball to deflect the ball home, Josh Kennedy unable to clear off the line.

41 Mins: Adelaide United 1 Nagoya Grampus 0

44 Mins: It could be two. Djite’s cross is flicked backwards by Cassio, and Vidosic chooses to attempt to volley first time. Fortunately for Grampus it’s left of Narazaki’s goal.

45 Mins: One minute of added time to play, and half-time can’t come soon enough for Grampus.

45 Mins+1: And that’s it for the first-half.

HT: Adelaide United 1 Nagoya Grampus 0

HT: It was a difficult goal to concede in the circumstances, Adelaide perhaps lucky to have the run of the ball in the goalmouth, but Grampus would not need to reflect on being a goal behind had they taken the chances with which they had been presented. Manager Stojkovic will certainly be happy with the overall standard of Grampus’s play and their practical total domination of the opening 45 minutes, but he now has one period in which to find a response to ensure his side’s continued participation in this tournament.

HT: Mu Kanazaki is on for Keiji Tamada.

46 Mins: The Reds begin this second half. Can Grampus make their quality pay in this final 45 minutes?

48 Mins: Taguchi and Caravella are continuing their chat in the opening minutes of the second period, Taguchi going down in seeking a free-kick from Fyfe.

49 Mins: No Grampus player is willing to attempt a shot as they pass he ball in and around the penalty area, and Adelaide eventually clear, Djite brought down by Daniel who is perhaps fortunate to escape a booking.

50 Mins: Grampus head clear at the set piece, and they have the opportunity to build again as Djite is several yards offside as the ball is sent back in to the Grampus eighteen yard area.

51 Mins: A clever touch from Fujimoto allows Kanazaki to shoot from the edge of the area, and he tries to side-foot into the bottom right-hand corner. Unfortunately for Kanazaki it’s weak and too close to Galekovic.

53 Mins: Caravella is finally booked as Kanazaki bursts clear of him on the left-wing, Malik belatedly showing a yellow card.

54 Mins: A superb challenge for Boogard prevents Kennedy from getting away as he was winding up for the shot.

56 Mins: Masukawa bundles over Djite. The diagonal ball from forty yards is cleared away. Djite claims to be blocked off inside the box by Tulio and no longer in control of the ball, but the official waves away appeals for a spot kick.

61 Mins: Taguchi tries his luck from 35 yards, but it’s several feet over Galekovic’s crossbar.

63 Mins: After Djite clips Tulio from behind, Fujimoto swings the ball into the penalty box left-footed, Galekovic makes another stop. Masukawa, unmarked six yards from goal, places his header in one of the few areas in which he can make a save when directing it to his right would almost certainly have levelled the scores.

67 Mins: Into the final quarter of the 90 minutes, it’s Adelaide United 1 Nagoya Grampus 0.

67 Mins: Kennedy sends a header clear of the crossbar. A difficult chance for the Australian under pressure from Boogard.

68 Mins: The popular Sergio Van Dijk replaces Zenon Caravella for Adelaide.

69 Mins: And Van Dijk exits the field, the officials not happy with either his boots or some loose strapping on his leg. Yosuke Taguchi is replaced by Hayuma Tanaka in the meantime.

70 Mins: The final twenty minutes, and Grampus have had the best chances of this half. Another one ay present itself after Vidosic gives away a free-kick 37 yards from goal. It’s a good cross from Fujimoto aimed at Tanaka, but Nigel Boogard does very well to head away and subsequently complete the clearance.

71 Mins: Teruki Tanaka is on in the final substitution for Grampus, Kensuke Nagai makes way.

72 Mins: The yellow card count is equal, Daniel booked for one of several fouls on Djite.

74 Mins: Cassio brings the ball across the penalty area, but Narazaki is untroubled as the midfielder is off-balance and skies his shot.

75 Mins: Galekovic saves his side again. Kanazaki’s superb low cross is knocked away, but Masukawa’s cross then finds Kanazaki. It’s high but straight at the keeper who reaches to push over his crossbar.

76 Mins: Tulio believes he is pulled down from behind by Djite at Fujimoto’s corner, but if it was an offence, it goes unnoticed by referee Malik.

79 Mins: Grampus are laying siege to the Adelaide defence, Tulio noticeably higher up the field as they seek out a goal. Nagoya may be in difficulty if Adelaide are able to counter quickly.

80 Mins: The last ten minutes of the second half begin with Adelaide on the offensive, winning a throw-in deep in Grampus’s half.

81 Mins: Dario Vidosic is off for Evan Kostopoulos.

83 Mins: Barbiero has the simplest of chances to secure a quarter-final berth for his side, but having beaten Daniel inside the penalty area, he blasts over from short range.

84 Mins: Hayuma Tanaka blocks Iain Ramsay’s cross for a corner. The official spots an offence in the area, allowing Narazaki to clear long downfield. With added time, there are probably nine or ten minutes left in this match.

86 Mins: CROSSBAR! Adelaide cleverly keep hold of possession, Fyfe heavily involved, Van Dijk then shooting left-footed from 20 yards but slamming against the crossbar, the ball just not dipping enough.

88 Mins: Djite’s match comes to an end as he jogs off the field, Teeboy Kamara on for the final five or six minutes.

90 Mins: Normal time is up. And there will be only three minutes to final the single goal to force extra-time.

90 Mins+1: Kostopoulos gives away a free-kick 25 yards from goal. Can Fujimoto find the net?

90 Mins+2: The referee is pushing the Adelaide wall back. Fujimoto to take ….

90 Mins+3: POST! Galekovic is beaten, but Fujimoto finds the outside of the right upright. So, so close. But it looks like Grampus are beaten.

90 Mins+3: The three minutes are up and the ball is in Galekovic’s hands. He boots downfield. And it’s all over.

FT: Adelaide United 0 Nagoya Grampus 1

FT: Stojokovic and his team will be left to reflect on what might have been, missed opportunities, wasted possession and an excellent performance from Eugene Galekovic in the Adelaide United net denying them what might have otherwise been a straightforward march into the next round. Stojkovic now must focus on attempting to qualify for next year’s competition, not an easy feat given Grampus’s poor form in the J.League and breaking clear of sides close to the relegation places his most immediate task.

FT: Thank you for joining me. A match report will follow later today.

AFC Champions League: Round of 16 live-blog schedule – Adelaide United v 名古屋グランパス (Nagoya Grampus)

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Three Japanese teams are in AFC Champions League action this week, and Nagoya Grampus will be the first to attempt to qualify for the quarter-finals as they travel to Australia to meet Adelaide United on Tuesday 29 May for the single-tie elimination contest.

United’s progress through the competition has been interesting, a third placed-finish in the 2010-11 season enough to secure their place in the tournament, but they were elevated to an automatic group position only after China’s Liaoning Whowin and Indonesian club Persipura Jayapura had withdrawn their participation. They made the most of the opportunity, topping Group E and losing only once on the way to the Round of 16, and will provide a stern test at the Hindmarsh Stadium.

The two draws Dragan Stojković’s side completed versus Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma cost them the chance of winning Group G outright, particularly allowing Héverton’s 93rd minute equaliser on Matchday One, and which prompted the trip overseas. They may need to be ruthless with any openings which come their way against a defence which only conceded two goals across their six group games, though they may be encouraged by a team whose form in the Champions League has not been replicated in the domestic competition. That, however, could apply equally to Grampus themselves.

Join me from 10:30 BST/19:30 JST when I’ll be covering the match in full here at Football Japan, with kick-off scheduled for 11:00 BST/18:00 JST. I do hope you can join me for this encounter.

울산 현대 (Ulsan Hyundai) 1 FC東京 (FC Tokyo) 0

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Crucial failings in front of goal cost FC Tokyo victory both in this AFC Champions League match and in Group F, as an otherwise dominant performance was marred by a 37th minute Ulsan Hyundai goal which ceded home advantage in the Round of 16 to the South Korean side. The Gas now face the daunting prospect of a trip to the Tianhe Stadium where they will play the Chinese Super League giants Guangzhou Evergrande on 30 May for a place in the quarter-finals.

Fourteen shots to the opposition’s eight merely hinted at the J.League side’s control of this match, twice finding the woodwork and frequently foundering in excellent attacking positions. As early as the twelfth minute the Gas should have taken the lead, Hideto Takahashi’s rifled shot cannoning back off the right upright for Kazuma Watanabe to follow-up, but he could only send the rebound wide of the post with the goal gaping. Midway through the first period Jang Hyun-Soo had the Ulsan goal at his mercy, but somehow contrived to put the most straightforward of headers beyond the left post after a lovely hanging cross to the backpost from Tatsuya Yazawa.

With both sides opting to utilise a 4-2-3-1 formation, the early battle to establish authority in the midfield was crucial, and it was FC Tokyo who were in the ascendancy for all bar 15 minutes of this contest. Takuji Yonemoto and Aria Hasegawa, ably assisted by an outstanding performance in defence from Matsato Morishige, established a bulwark against which most Ulsan attacks distintegrated, their opposite numbers Go Seul-Ki and Julian Esteven Velez rarely able to find an outlet via their attacking midfield triumvurate of Kim Seung-Yong, Kim Dong-Suk and Lee Keun-Ho, leaving the Tokyo Verdy loanee Maranhao cutting a forlorn figure in attack.

However, it was the Horangi who would capitalise on their one clear goalscoring opportunity in the first period, and one which would subsequently deny FC Tokyo the point they needed to meet Kashiwa Reysol at the Ajinmoto Stadium. Despite loud and rancorous protests from manager Ranko Popovic, Yuhei Tokunaga’s challenge on Maranhao was certainly illegal, and positioned five yards outside and right of centre in the penalty area, provided an opening to either test Hitoshi Shiota directly or direct the ball to one of a host of waiting Ulsan players. Go Seul-Ki opted for the latter, drifting a cross to the back post that Kwak Tae-Hwi headed goalwards. Shiota saved, pushing the ball across his own goal, and while Maranhao’s diving headed came back off the crossbar, the Gas simply couldn’t clear and eventually Kang Min-Soo placed the ball into the empty net under the body of a diving Hideto Takahashi.

The story of the second half mirrored that of the first, the Gas contuinuing to create but unable to display the same sort of finesse which had taken them to twelve goals in the five previous group games. Yazawa, Hasegawa and substitutes Lucas and Kajiyama all came close to finding an equaliser, the latter’s left-footed swipe from distance finding the wrong side of the woodwork late on.

Despite the defeat Ranko Popovic should certainly consider his side’s debut season in the AFC Champions League an already unqualified success, not just in obtaining a berth in the latter stages of the tournament, but for the way in which he has given younger talents in the squad an opportunity to shine and who have almost without exception risen to the challenge. In a first-half cameo the 22-year old Hiroki Kawano sparkled, adding to notable appearances from Naotake Hanyu, Jang and Takuji Yonemoto across the group stage of the competition. While a one-off game against the Southern China Tigers could prove the insurmountable step in this year’s tournament, a domestic league which looks to be headed for a tight finish with a third of the matches completed provides the ideal opportunity for the Gas to complete qualification for the 2013 event.

Ulsan Hyundai FC Tokyo
Goalscorers Min Goalscorers Min
Kang Min-Soo 37
Substitutes Min Substitutes Min
Kim Seung-Yong
Kim Shin-Wook		 46 Kawano
Kajiyama		 49
Kim Dong-Suk
Lee Ho		 73 Yazawa
Lucas		 69
Maranhao
Choi Jae-Soo		 80 Jang Hyun-Soo
Hayashi		 84
Cautions Min Cautions Min
Kim Young-Sam 6

Ulsan Hyundai: 4-2-3-1 (Blue); FC Tokyo: 4-2-3-1 (Grey)

전북 현대 모터스 (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) 0 柏レイソル (Kashiwa Reysol) 2

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Kashiwa Reysol were just moments away from being the beneficiaries of a draw between Buriram United and Guangzhou Evergrande which would have seen them win Group H and play the single elimination Round of 16 match at the Hitachi Soccer Stadium, before Dario Conca scored a last-minute penalty for the Southern China Tigers which changed both their opponents and destination in the next stage of the AFC Champions League.

Manager Nelsinho, who must now return to South Korea with the Sun Kings to face conquerers of FC Tokyo and Group F winners Ulsan Hyundai, will have been satisfied by the manner in which his players stifled Jeonbuk at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium, and beyond a late penalty for the home side that Lee Dong-Gook failed to convert, they created significantly better goalscoring opportunities.

The first half passed by with very little to recommend it, Jeonbuk perfectly content to sit deep and defend their superior position in the table against a Reysol side whose only hope of qualification was in taking all three points, and in the knowledge that the reigning J.League champions had won just twice away from home in 2012. Only Jorge Wagner forced Kim Min-Sik into making a save in the opening period, the left-midfielder running on to a Masato Kudo flick-on after a chipped Leandro Domingues cross, and the Brazilian whipped a left-footed shot from left of the eighteen-yard area which the goalkeeper beat away at his near post.

The crucial goal came shortly after the restart, courtesy of a defensive mix-up between Kim Sang-Sik and Jin Kyung-Sun. Naoya Kondo, stationed behind halfway, launched a long ball downfield which Sang-Sik could easily have cleared, but he chose instead to nod back to his teammate. Under pressure from Masato Kudo, the defender’s touch was too heavy, allowing Junya Tanaka to intercept and knock the ball into the path of an overlapping Leandro Domingues. The 2011 J.League Player of the Year took one touch before sending a low right-footed shot across Kim and into the bottom left corner of the goal.

It was a strike that changed the internal dynamics of the match, year’s K-League title winners forced on to the offensive to ensure they weren’t reliant on the only possible permutation of a draw in Thailand that would send them into the knockout stages, and in turn Reysol were able to exploit space in midfield which they hadn’t previously been afforded.

Five minutes later Naoya Kondo wasted a superb opportunity to extend the visitors’ lead. Jorge Wagner drifted a lazy set-piece from midfield into the penalty area, which Daisuke Nasu rose to meet and head back across goal. Kondo attempted to steer the ball inside the near post, but failed to find the right connection with his diving header from six yards when unmarked.

However, the more expansive play of the home side continued to present opportunities for Reysol to play on the counter-attack, and the game was largely over as a contest in the 63rd minute as a result of a move which Junya Tanaka started and finished. Picking up the ball in midfield, he shifted the ball to Leandro Domingues, whose first-time pass released the ever-adventurous Hiroki Sakai on the right-wing. The full-back squared for Domingues, who cut inside Kim Jung-Woo before driving left-footed from eighteen yards. While Kim Min-Sik saved smartly to his left, the goalkeeper was unlucky to see the ball roll against his upright, and Tanaka, who had continued his run, had the simplest of tap-ins.

Tanaka’s beautifully flighted pass with the edge of his right boot and back to goal deserved significantly more than Masato Kudo lobbing over the bar with only Min-Sik to beat, and Jeonbuk were gifted a way back into the match when Ali Hasan Ebrahim Abdulnabi pointed to the penalty spot, harshly judging Kondo to have fouled striker Lee Dong-Gook as both players went to ground. The decision was rendered irrelevant, however, as Dong-Gook’s powerful spot-kick beat the dive of Sugeno but not the woodwork, and the ball rebounded to safety. Time still remained for Jorge Wagner to bend a long-distance strike against the crossbar before Abdulnabi signalled for full-time, and last year’s finalists would learn later that they had been eliminated at the group stage, Conca’s penalty for Guangzhou condemning them to third place in Group H and an early exit.

Reysol will go into the last sixteen having seen Ulsan Hyundai’s victory over the Gas owed much to good fortune, and while they must travel to the Big Crown for the first of the knockout stages, should be confident that they can claim victory provided they perform to the same levels as in Jeonju.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Kashiwa Reysol
Goalscorers Min Goalscorers Min
Leandro Domingues 49
Tanaka 62
Substitutes Min Substitutes Min
Jin Kyung-Sun
Luiz Henrique		 56 Mizuno
Tanaka		 84
Hugo Droguett
Lee Seung-Hyun		 56 Kudo
Hayashi		 87
Lee Seung-Hyun
Jeong Seong-Hoon		 72
Cautions Min Cautions Min
Jin Kyung-Sun 53 Otani 68
Park Won-Jae 75 Masushima 90+2

Jeonbuk Hundai Motors: 4-2-3-1/4-5-1 (Green); Kashiwa Reysol: 4-4-2 (Yellow)

AFC Champions League: Group F Matchday Six Round-up and Results

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(The only blemish on FC Tokyo’s otherwise unbeaten qualification record for the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League may prove to be the most costly, as Ulsan Hyundai capitalised on one of their very few chances to beat the Gas 1-0 top Group F, and with it ensure the J.League side will travel to China to play Guangzhou Evergrande on 30 May. The Horangi will welcome Kashiwa Reysol to the Big Crown on the same date, where the Sun Kings will be looking to book a berth in the Autumn’s quarter-finals)

FC Tokyo were made to rue their profligacy at the Big Crown Stadium, as Ulsan Hyundai scored the only goal of a game which decided the victors of Group F, and leaves the Gas with an uncomfortable trip to the Tianhe Stadium on 30 May to face Chinese Super League giants Guangzhou Evergrande in the Round of 16.

Ranko Popovic’s side were dominant throughout and created a number of excellence opportunities, but it is the Horangi who earned the right to meet reigning J.League champions Kashiwa Reysol at home via a 37th minute Kang Min-Soo goal which came entirely against the run of play.

Group F

Ulsan Hyundai
Kang Min-Soo 37′		 1 FC Tokyo Small FC Tokyo 0
Brisbane Roar
Berisha 15′		 1 Beijing Guoan
Hanbo 34′		 1
Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Ulsan Hyundai 6 4 2 0 11 7 +4 14
2 FC Tokyo 6 3 2 1 12 6 +6 11
3 Brisbane Roar 6 0 3 3 6 11 -5 3
4 Beijing Guoan 6 0 3 3 6 11 -5 3