By Michael Church
(Reuters) – Kawasaki Frontale maintained their winning start to the Asian Champions League on Tuesday as Kento Tachibanada’s 89th minute long-range strike earned the Japanese side a 1-0 win over South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai.
Tachibanada beat Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo from 25 metres to seal a second successive win for Toru Oniki’s hosts, who dominated throughout against the two-times continental champions at Todoroki Stadium.
Victory moves Kawasaki onto six points in Group I and three points clear of Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim, who recovered from going behind to an early goal by defender Victor Cardozo to beat Thailand’s BG Pathum United 4-2.
Cardozo put the hosts in front from the penalty spot in the fifth minute but Arif Aiman Hanapi levelled a minute later before goals from Bergson and Juan Muniz put JDT in control.
Cardozo scored again to reduce the deficit but Hanapi struck 12 minutes from time to put the result beyond doubt.
JDT are now level with Ulsan on three points with BG Pathum bottom of the standings without a point.
Japanese champions Yokohama F Marinos bounced back from their opening round loss against Incheon United in Group G to beat China’s Shandong Taishan 1-0.
Kota Mizunuma scored in the 37th minute when he slid in to volley Elber’s pass home from eight yards out.
In the dying moments Mizunuma rescued Yokohama at the other end, clearing from under his own crossbar after Shandong’s Cryzan had hit the post with a header.
The win moves Marinos level on three points with Shandong with both trailing Incheon as the South Korean outfit eased to a 4-0 win against Kaya FC-Iloilo from the Philippines.
Stefan Mugosa scored twice for the K-League side with Hernandes and Paul-Jose M’Poku also on target.
Only the winners of each of the 10 groups in the Asian Champions League are certain to progress to the knockout rounds, where they will be joined by the three best runners-up from the east and west of the continent.
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Toby Davis)
