AFC Champions League Elite - Soma’s hard work, patience pay off

Jeddah: Yuki Soma was glad to have made a spectacular return for FC Machida Zelvia in their AFC Champions League Finals Jeddah 2026™ semi-final win against UAE's Shabab Al Ahli on Tuesday.

Soma scored the only goal of the game as the debutant Japanese side set up a final against defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC on Saturday but the decision for the midfielder to start was made almost at the last minute.

#ACLElite | Semi-finals : FC Machida Zelvia (JPN) 1-0 Shabab Al Ahli (UAE)

“The staff helped me to come back early,” said the 29-year-old attacker. “Yesterday the coach told me I’m the ace of Machida and said I would score and I did.”

Injury kept Soma out of the quarter-final win against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad Club and there were worries that he might not be able to feature on Tuesday, having last played in the domestic league match against FC Tokyo on April 5.

Yet the determination and incredible medical work performed by Machida saw Soma restored to the starting lineup to great effect.

“The quarter-final came too soon for me and, initially, I didn’t think I had a chance (of playing in the semi-final) but the coach wanted me to be here to support the players. When I left Japan, I couldn’t even jog but I have been working with the physio every day since arriving in Jeddah.

“There was a chance that I could play. We looked at the quarter-final but it was too risky. So I asked not to be included, which turned out to be a good decision because I was able to do what I did today.”

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