AFC Champions League
Qualifier
Kashiwa Reysol 3-2 Chonburi (aet)
Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium
17th February, 2015
KASHIWA REYSOL 3-2 CHONBURI (aet)
by www.the-afc.com
Brazilian striker Leandro scored four minutes from the end of extra-time to secure a 3-2 win for Kashiwa Reysol over Thailand’s Chonburi FC on Tuesday evening as the Japanese club advanced to the group stage of the AFC Champions League at Hitachi Stadium.
Chonburi twice managed to peg the J.League side back thanks to goals from Leandro Assumpcao and Kroekrit Thawikan after Kosuke Taketomi and Leandro had each put Reysol ahead before the tie went into extra-time.
But Leandro’s late header ensured Kashiwa take their place in Group E of the continental club championship alongside Korea Republic’s Jeonbuk Motors, Shandong Luneng from China and Binh Duong of Vietnam.
Reysol were made to battle by the Thais despite taking the lead as early as the eighth minute when Taketomi slid the ball over the line from close range after goalkeeper Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool was only able to parry Hidekazu Otani’s shot into the midfielder’s path.
But just two minutes later Chonburi were level as Suttinun Phukhom’s long punt from the back exposed the Kashiwa defence and Leandro Assumpcao slipped the ball under Takanori Sugeno.
The J.League side – semi-finalists in the 2013 AFC Champions League – controlled possession but, under new manager Tatsuma Yoshida, Reysol struggled to turn their dominance into goals.
Cristiano saw his 14th minute effort deflected wide before Masato Kudo skied his attempt from a close-range shot over the crossbar seconds later, while the Brazilian’s effort in the 23rd minute was blocked by Sinthaweechai as Reysol continued to turn the screw.
Leandro then saw his attempt hacked clear in a goal-mouth scramble before Anderson Dos Santos almost made Reysol pay with a rare effort on goal at the other end for Chonburi, only for Sugeno to claw the ball to safety.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with Reysol on top before taking – and surrendering – the lead again.
Sinthaweechai pulled off a fine save to deny Cristiano’s header three minutes into the second half but, in the 58th minute, Reysol went back in front when Leandro netted from the spot after Suttinun was judged to have handled the ball inside the area.
Kashiwa’s advantage lasted just seven minutes, however, with Kroekrit firing a fine effort into the roof of Sugeno’s goal with his right foot that would ultimately ensure the game went into extra-time.
Reysol’s dominance continued into the additional 30 minutes, but still the Japanese side struggled to find a way to win the tie.
Substitute Tetsuro Ota shot straight at the goalkeeper inside the first minute of extra-time, and Cristiano was denied seconds later by Sinthaweechai.
The Thai goalkeeper kept out another effort from Ota soon after before the substitute sent yet another chance over the crossbar.
Otani then hit the crossbar as Reysol’s frustration continued before a sliding Leandro sent the ball agonisingly past the post with just seven minutes remaining.
With Reysol squandering chances, the game looked destined for a shootout, but Leandro finally gave the Japanese club the win with just four minutes remaining when he nodded home a close-range header following Ota’s corner.
YOSHIDA ‘MORE RELIEVED THAN HAPPY’ AS COACH RUES CHONBURI GOALS
by www.the-afc.com
Kashiwa: Kashiwa Reysol coach Tatsuma Yoshida is already setting his sights on the J.League club’s opening group stage clash with Jeonbuk Motors next week after an extra-time winner from Leandro saw off the challenge of Thailand’s Chonburi FC in the AFC Champions League play-offs on Tuesday.
Leandro’s goal came just four minutes from the end of extra-time and ensured the 2013 semi-finalists will play in Group E of this year’s competition, where they will also face Binh Duong of Vietnam and China’s Shandong Luneng, after recording a 3-2 win.
But Reysol were made to battle for the win, with Chonburi pulling level through both Leandro Assumpcao and Kroekrit Thawikan after the Japanese club had twice gone in front thanks to goals from Kosuke Taketomi and a Leandro penalty.
“Now I am feeling relieved more than happy with this win,” said Yoshida, who replaced the departed Nelsinho Baptista for the new season.
“One of the big objectives for us was to get through. We were planning to go to as well. Now, obviously we are heading there, and I told our players in the dressing room that we are going to Korea next week.
“That was a moment we refreshed our minds to set our focus on the coming game.”
Reysol took the lead after just eight minutes through Taketomi, but Chonburi were level only two minutes later when Leandro Assumpcao slid the ball under goalkeeper Takenori Sugeno’s body.
The J.League side went in front again 13 minutes into the second half when Leandro converted from the penalty spot only for Kroekrit to equalise for the Thais seven minutes later with a spectacular finish that found the roof of the Kashiwa net.
Despite Reysol’s dominance, they were unable to add to the score and the game went into extra-time, with Yoshida’s side’s still on top but unable to kill off the tie until the 116th minute when Leandro headed in from close range.
“The game was very hard and developed in a way I had expected,” said Yoshida. “I was not expecting us to give away goals as we did, though.
“But it was our first game of the season and we managed to win it. With that, we can move on, which is very meaningful to us.”
Defeat meant Chonburi missed out on appearing in the group stage of the AFC Champions League for the first time since 2008.
“Today we had to fight against various things in the game and one of those was the weather,” said Chonburi coach Jadet Meelarp. “It was very cold here.
“The second one was Kashiwa. They are a high-standard team and it was difficult to play them. But our players showed their fighting spirit and played tenaciously to go into extra-time.
“Our players showed tenacity in defence and that was not our game plan. It was more from our players’ fighting spirit as I had told them to play hard for the sake of our club and our team.
“However, it is 33 degrees in Thailand now, and it is very cold here. It was hard for our players to play in this type of weather and I thought our players couldn’t run as much as they do back home late in the game.”
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