Kobe coach Takayuki Yoshida made wholesale changes from the team that won 3-0 against Shanghai Port last month, with goal scorers Erik and Yuya Osako among those not included in the squad while Taisei Miyashiro, who also netted in China PR, was on the bench.

 

City, by contrast, named eight of the side that lost 2-0 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima with Vidmar denied the services of Mathew Leckie due to injury, the Socceroos international being replaced in the starting line up by Emin Durakovic.

Zane Schreiber tried his luck from outside the area as the Kobe defence only half-cleared a corner with the midway point of the first half approaching but the midfielder’s low strike was blocked on its way towards goal.

 

A tepid first half was enlivened in the 33rd minute when Gustavo Klismahn almost made Patrick Beach pay for a poor pass out from the back, the City goalkeeper redeeming himself immediately when he tipped the midfielder’s strike from 30 yards over the bar.

Kakeru Yamauchi, Yuruki and Kento Hamasaki all had sights of the Melbourne City goal after the resumption but none of the trio was able to seriously trouble Beach as the visitors’ defence held firm.

Miyashiro, on as a substitute for Jean Patrick in the 68th minute, forced Beach into action with 11 minutes remaining, the goalkeeper blocking the Japan international’s header from close range following Gotoku Sakai’s looping cross.

The home side continued to press for the winner as the clock ran down with Miyashiro dragging a late effort wide of Beach’s right post from 10 yards out and the game looked set to end in a draw.

But a late, desperate punt forward by Kobe goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda caused problems for the City defence and, when the ball eventually fell at the feet of Yuruki, he rolled his shot into an empty net with Beach out of position.