AFC Champions League Elite
Goals from Asahi Uenaka and Jun Amano in the 64th and 69th minutes respectively sealed victory for the J1 League side although Shanghai Port will still progress to the last 16 as a result of the withdrawal of Shandong Taishan from the competition earlier in the day.
The win was the seventh in the competition for the AFC Champions League™ 2023-24 runners-up, who will go into the next phase of the competition buoyed by their impressive form since Holland arrived to replace interim boss John Hutchison during the close season.
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Shanghai Port goalkeeper Yan Junling ensured the Japanese outfit did not run away with the tie, the China PR international standing between Holland’s team and a much more comfortable victory.
Kodjo Aziangbe tried his luck from distance in the seventh minute but failed to trouble Yan while 10 minutes later Anderson Lopes forced the goalkeeper to take action, pushing the ball away for a corner after the Brazilian powered towards goal.
The visitors went close again moments later, Jeison Quinones glancing a header across the face of the Shanghai Port goal, with Yan Matheus just too slow with his reaction as he slid in at the far post in a vain attempt to make contact.
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Yan was on hand to further frustrate the Japanese as the midway point in the half approached, diving to his left at full stretch to keep out Amano’s low shot from distance after the midfielder had been fed by Uenaka.
Ryo Miyaichi and Lopes both had efforts that were off target as Yokohama continued to dominate without registering while Shanghai Port’s forays forward were continually thwarted by the F Marinos defence.
The visitors continued to look the more likely to open the scoring after the interval with Matheus denied by Yan and Uenaka heading narrowly wide eight minutes into the second half. The goalkeeper then denied Lopes as the chances racked up.
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Yan was finally beaten in the 65th minute and it was no surprise that it was Uenaka who delivered the killer blow. Riku Yamane slipped the ball through from the edge of the area and he made no mistake with a rising strike that flew over Yan’s outstretched hand.
Wang Zhen’ao almost levelled the scores within three minutes when he unleashed an unstoppable strike from 20 yards out after Park Il-gyu had half-cleared a corner, but the shot narrowly cleared the crossbar.
Within seconds the Japanese side had doubled their lead. Kanta Inoue scampered down the right before sending in a cross that, despite taking a slight deflection, found its way to Amano and the midfielder pushed the ball over the line with his chest.
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