Levi Rothermund
Vissel Kobe made it two wins from two in the AFC Champions League Elite group phase on Wednesday, as Koya Yuruki struck in stoppage time to seal a dramatic 1-0 victory over Melbourne City.
The decisive moment came in the 94th minute when a defensive mix-up in the Australian side’s back line failed to deal with a long clearance from goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda. Yuruki pounced on the loose ball and calmly rolled it into an empty net, sending the home fans into wild celebrations.
“I think for the majority of the game we were in it, we were doing well and up until the minute we conceded the goal we were competing well,” said Melbourne City captain Aziz Behich. “I’m proud of my players. They competed for more than 90 minutes and it just hurts the way we conceded that goal in the last minute.”
Contrasting Fortunes in the Group
The result leaves Melbourne City bottom of the standings with no points from their opening two fixtures, while Kobe sit top of the group with maximum points. The J-League champions hold a two-point cushion over a chasing pack of three teams.
Among them are Ulsan HD, twice winners of the competition, who drew 1-1 away to Shanghai Shenhua. Luis Asue gave Shenhua the lead early in the second half with a crisp first-time finish from Joao Teixeira’s deflected cross. But Ulsan hit back 15 minutes later as Gustav Ludwigson steered a composed side-footed volley past Xue Winghao.
Elsewhere, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and FC Seoul also sit on four points, while Gangwon FC, Chengdu Rongcheng, and Buriram United remain in the hunt just a point further back.
Road to the Knockouts
Only the top eight teams from each of the 12-team East and West Asia leagues will progress to the knockout rounds, which kick off in March. This year’s quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final are set to be staged in a centralised format in Saudi Arabia in late April, ensuring high-stakes action on neutral ground.
For Kobe, Yuruki’s late strike could prove crucial in maintaining momentum, as every point in the tightly contested group phase will count in the race for Asian supremacy.