AFC Champions League Elite
Yuya Osako gave the home side the lead in the 11th minute before Kobe survived an Italo-inspired revival as Jeonbuk sought the equaliser after the interval, but Yuya Kuwasaki hit his side’s decisive second in the 68th minute against the run of play.
The result moves the J1 League outfit onto six points from their first two matches in the eastern league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite while Jeonbuk remain on three points having won their opener against Kashiwa Reysol last month.
After seeing Jeonbuk’s Bruno Mota sky his early close-range effort over the bar, Kobe showed their intent in the 10th minute when Yoshinori Muto dispossessed Kim Jing-yu, Erik picking the ball up and curling his low shot wide of goalkeeper Song Bum-keun’s left post.
Less than two minutes later the home side went in front. The Jeonbuk defence was caught on its heels as Katsuya Nagato delivered a corner from the Kobe right and Osako peeled away to bury his first-time right foot finish from 10 yards out.
Shuichi Gonda then denied Jeonbuk what appeared a certain equaliser 13 minutes later when Italo’s clever pass from the edge of the area released Kim Seung-sub behind the defence but the former Japan goalkeeper dropped to his right to palm a low shot to safety.
Erik pulled his attempt just wide from outside the area after Osako’s headed knock-down moments before the interval while Osako threatened twice without converting soon after the resumption.
MD2: Vissel Kobe (JPN) v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC (KOR)
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Jeonbuk took control, however, as the second half wore on with Kang Sang-yoon seeing his shot from 18 yards out roll harmlessly past Gonda’s right post while Italo’s pace and direct running were cutting the home defence apart.
It was the Brazilian who delivered the cross from the left that saw Mota loop his shot onto the Kobe crossbar in the 57th minute and it was from another Italo centre soon after that substitute Lee Seung-woo headed inches wide of Gonda’s left post.
Choi Woo-jin, meanwhile, thumped his attempt from distance against the woodwork as the K League 1 side continued to dominate without finding the equaliser.
So it was with some fortune that Kobe doubled their lead in the 68th minute when Kuwasaki swept his low shot beyond Song Bum-keun from Muto’s pass and that goal was enough to end Jeonbuk’s hopes of salvaging a point.
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