TOKYO :Vissel Kobe coach Takayuki Yoshida mentioned his gamers embraced their standing as Asian Champions League outsiders on their method to knocking J1 League leaders Yokohama F Marinos out of the continental membership championship on Thursday.
Kobe have been struggling on the unsuitable finish of the Japanese league standings for a lot of the season however put apart their poor kind at hand Kevin Muscat's Marinos a 3-2 loss at Saitama Stadium to safe a spot in Saturday's quarter-final draw.
"We got here right here as underdogs, however I advised the gamers that this didn't make issues troublesome," Yoshida mentioned. "It meant we didn't have something to lose.
"The gamers demonstrated that on the pitch and actually challenged themselves on this sport. From right here I feel this sport will assist us within the two attainable video games remaining on this competitors and later within the league."
Kobe have struggled to ascertain themselves persistently among the many elite of Japanese and Asian soccer regardless of the cash lavished on the membership by Hiroshi Mikitani, proprietor of Japanese on-line retainer Rakuten, for nearly 20 years.
They’re presently third from backside within the J1 League and have just one trophy – the 2019 Emperor's Cup – to their title regardless of common high-profile signings from Japan and overseas.
Spanish World Cup winner Andres Iniesta is Kobe's best-known participant however, because the 38-year-old's health has develop into much less dependable, accidents and poor kind imply different gamers have didn’t step as much as lead the workforce.
Fixed modifications on the touchline haven’t helped both, with Yoshida the membership's fourth coach for the reason that season began in mid-February.
Regardless of these points, Kobe rose to the event in opposition to Marinos to placed on an environment friendly and efficient efficiency that moved them a step nearer to the Asian title.
Kobe shall be joined within the quarter-final draw by two-time winners Jeonbuk Motors after their 2-1 extra-time win over fellow South Koreans Daegu FC.
Hong Kong's Kitchee tackle BG Pathum United from Thailand and Japanese facet Urawa Purple Diamonds meet Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta'zim within the remaining Spherical of 16 matches on Friday.
"It was a tricky sport for the entire 90 minutes however we received this outcome as a result of we performed as a unit offensively and defensively and labored arduous," mentioned Kobe captain Hotaru Yamaguchi.
"That basically helped us to win this sport."
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