Mu Kanazaki scored twice as J.League champions Nagoya beat
Al Ain of the UAE 4-0 in Group F on Tuesday before Emperor’s Cup winners
Kashima eased past injury plagued Sydney FC 3-0 in Australia on Wednesday to
move joint top of Group H alongside Korea’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings.
After their planned meeting at Mizuho Athletic Stadium was
postponed following last month’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, both
Nagoya and Al Ain headed into the rearranged contest with just one point from
two games.
And it was Nagoya who took the initiative from the first
whistle as the home side were rewarded for their aggressive start as Kanazaki
turned home Josh Kennedy’s cross from close range after 27 minutes before the
midfielder headed home Shohei Abes’ delivery in first half stoppage time.
Al Ain improved after the break but an own goal from Brahima
Keita added to Nagoya’s lead a minute after the hour mark before Jungo
Fujimoto’s free-kick wrapped up the win with 13 minutes remaining after Fares
Al Saadi had been sent-off for bringing down the midfielder outside the area.
“This game was extremely important for us psychologically
and mathematically,” said Nagoya coach Dragan Stojkovic.
“We showed teamwork, which is very important. I saw a very
high level of fighting spirit. Everybody really wanted to win the game.”
With unbeaten K-League champions FC Seoul leading the way at
the halfway mark, China’s Hangzhou Greentown and Nagoya sit three points off
the pace, with winless Al Ain rooted to the foot of the table a further three
points adrift with manager Alexandre Gallo left to lament his side’s failure to
convert their chances against the J.League outfit.
“We still have three games to play and we’ll try to do our
best and win these games to see if we have a chance to qualify for the next
round,” he said.
“Maybe if we were sharper in front of goal, the game might
have been a different story.”
After a poor start to the contest at Sydney Football
Stadium, Kashima struck a crucial blow four minutes before the break as Takuya
Nozawa pounced to open the scoring from close range after goalkeeper Liam Reddy
had blocked Fellype Gabriel’s shot.
And with Sydney struggling without the creative ability and
goal-scoring threat of injured duo Nicky Carle and David Williams, the visitors
doubled their lead six minutes after the break as Nozawa’s pinpoint cross found
Gabriel unmarked at the back post and the Brazilian midfielder made no mistake.
Sydney upped the tempo in the closing stages but failed to
create a clear cut opportunity and Kashima striker Shinzoh Kohrogi struck in
stoppage time to wrap up the win which leaves the J.League side and also
unbeaten Suwon three points clear of winless duo Sydney and Shanghai Shenhua
with three games remaining.
"Everyone is worried about the players and their
families,” said Kashima coach Oswaldo Oliveira.
"The players feel the problem over there but this
problem is too big, a simple victory will not change anything. We came to do
our job, we are professional but our heart is still very weak about what's happened
in our country."
While Kashima have the advantage of three home games – which
will actually be played at the National Stadium in Tokyo after their Kashima
Soccer Stadium was damaged in the March 11 earthquake - remaining following the
reshuffle of the Group H fixtures, Sydney’s fight to reach the knockout stage
for the first time is further complicated by having to play their last three
games on the road.
"We've played three games in a row at home and we've
only got two points, but we won’t give up the current situation," said Sky
Blues coach Vitezslav Lavicka.
"We'll still try to pick up points away, especially now
in China."
