13 Dec 2020 - 9:30
Vissel Kobe goalkeeper Hiroki Iikura in action during a practice session. Pic: Twitter/@VisselKobe
AFC/ The Peninsula
Doha: Having plied their trade in the second tier of Japanese football as recently as 2013, Vissel Kobe have defied all odds to reach the 2020 AFC Champions League (East) semi-final where they lock horns with Korea Republic’s Ulsan Hyundai FC at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium today.
After winning their first-ever Emperor’s Cup title in 2019 to earn their AFC Champions League debut, Vissel Kobe had a 2020 domestic season full of ups and downs.
The port city club added the Japanese Super Cup in February, defeating Yokohama F. Marinos on a penalty shootout, but ended the J1 League season in a disappointing 12th place.
Win over Bluewings sets up east zone semifinal against Ulsan on Sunday Sorry, but your browser needs Javascript to use this site. If you re not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site: https://www.enable-javascript.com/
Vissel players celebrate after winning their Asian Champions League quarterfinal against Suwon on Thursday at Al Janoub Stadium in the Qatari city of Al Wakrah. | AFP-JIJI
Kyodo Dec 11, 2020
Tournament debutant Vissel Kobe advanced to the semifinals of the Asian Champions League on penalties 7-6 after a 1-1 extra-time quarterfinal draw with South Korea s Suwon Bluewings on Thursday.
Despite playing with 10 men for 82 minutes, Suwon refused to bow, and never showed any sign of going out of the competition until Jang Ho-ik missed over the bar. Vissel s Noriaki Fujimoto then struck the back of the net at Qatar s Al Janoub Stadium to send the J. League side into the tournament s last four.
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