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Machida’s Tani earns Best Goalkeeper honour
Jeddah: Kosei Tani was named the Best Goalkeeper of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26™ after a sterling campaign where he played a pivotal role in FC Machida Zelvia reaching the final.
Despite Saturday’s 1-0 extra time defeat in the final to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli Saudi FC, Tani’s contributions and performance did not go unnoticed in the Japan side’s debut continental outing.

The 25-year-old kept a remarkable seven clean sheets from the 11 matches that he has played this campaign, including five successive matches without conceding that included the Round of 16 matches until the semi-final.

In the final, Tani made a series of saves to deny the likes of Ivan Toney and Galeno but could do nothing to stop Feras Albrikan’s extra time strike.