Yokohama F Marinos will host Shandong Taishan in the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League. The Japanese managed to hold onto a 2-1 victory in the first leg of their match against each other last week. They continuing their winning streak in the tournament’s knockout phase.
Preview (Yokohama F Marinos vs. Shandong Taishan)
For the second straight-away Champions League match, Yokohama got off to a fast start. They scored seven minutes into their opening quarterfinal match on Wednesday. It turned out to be sufficient to secure a narrow victory. They are now unblemished in this competition when they score in the first half. It puts them in a position to make history at the club by going to the semifinals of this tournament. Since taking over as manager of Yokohama three months ago, Harry Kewell’s team has scored several goals in each of their three away games. The former Australian international is yet to lose a game in that role.
They lost 1-0 at home to Avispa Fukuoka in J1 League play earlier this month, which was their first loss under Kewell. However, they have won three straight Champions League games at Nissan Stadium by a total score of 7-0. Marinos has scored in all of their Champions League games this year. They haven’t been shut out at home in the competition since their 1-0 loss to Jeonbuk. Yokohama defeated Shandong 3-0 on matchday six to record their first home victory against a Chinese team in this tournament’s group stage.
For the first time in club history, the lone Chinese team left in the competition has their work cut out for them if they want to go past the quarterfinals. Shandong defeated Japanese team Kawasaki 4-2 last month to win an away game in the tournament’s knockout stage for the first time. The fact that Taishan Dui defeated Kawasaki in the round of 16 will give them hope. This was the first time this team has ever gone on from a Champions League knockout tie after dropping the first game.
Team News
Due to an acromioclavicular joint dislocation, Kenta Inoue is probably going to be out for Wednesday’s match. Hiri Kato is uncertain due to a hamstring strain. Ryuta Koike is still recovering from a broken kneecap. Both Shinnosuke Hatanaka and Yuta Koike, have both previously had cruciate ligament ruptures. He may be unable to play in this important match. In the first leg of the Champions League match against Shandong, Anderson Lopes scored seven minutes in. In the second half, fellow Brazilian Yan Matheus scored the game-winning goal.
Zeca’s knee medial ligament tear makes it unlikely that Shandong will have him available for this match. Liu Binbin’s toe injury is still healing. Xie Wenneng and Cristian, who are currently tied with Aleksandar Mitrovic for the most goals in the Champions League this season (eight), were replaced by Fernandinho and Matheus Pato in their starting lineup from last week’s leg two match against Kawasaki. In the second half of their first-leg quarterfinal match, Chen Pu replaced Fernandinho and gave Shandong the lead in injury time.
Yokohama F Marinos 2-0 Shandong Taishan
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