Yokohama F Marinos Advance to Asian Champions League Final for the First Time

In an action-packed Asian Champions League semifinal second-leg match, Yokohama F Marinos jumped out to an early three-goal lead against South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai. 

Nothing was decided at that point, though, at a rain-soaked Yokohama Stadium on Wednesday night, April 24.

Eventually, a penalty shootout was necessary to determine which team would advance to play in the home-and-away final. And Marinos won the shootout 5-4 on a goal by Brazilian defender Carlos Eduardo.

For Marinos, guided by first-year Australian manager Harry Kewell, Wednesday's drama delivered the team's first-ever trip to the Asian Champions League final.

"[It's] a huge step forward not only for the players," Kewell said, according to Kyodo News, "but for the club itself to show that anything is possible."

Kewell added, "I'm over the moon for the players, but we still have to concentrate as well."

In the first half, Marinos forward Asahi Uenaka scored a pair of goals (13th minute, 30th) sandwiched around another from Anderson Lopes in the 21st.

But the storyline changed quickly.

Before the stroke of halftime, Marinos' lead dwindled to 3-2, as Matheus Sales scored on a header in the 35th minute and teammate Darijan Bojanic capitalized on a penalty in the 42nd.

In between Ulsan's two goals, Marinos defender Takumi Kamijima received a red card for a handball in the 39th minute, and 10-man Yokohama was at a tactical disadvantage for the rest of the match.

At halftime, Marinos led 3-2, which leveled the aggregate score in the semifinal series. (On April 17, Marinos lost the semifinal first leg 1-0 in Ulsan, South Korea. Dong Gyeong Lee's 19th-minute goal was the match-deciding play.)

Pulsating Clash Between Asian Champions League Foes

As expected, an intense competitive encounter to determine which team would make the final was on display. 

And with Marinos down to 10 men, Ulsan controlled possession in the second half and 30 minutes of extra time. As a result, Ulsan wound up with a 40-14 advantage in shots before the teams lined up for the penalty shootout.

Both teams had a second-half goal disallowed due to offside.

In the penalty shootout, Martin Adam put Ulsan ahead 1-0. Anderson Lopes tied it at 1-1. Ulsan's Kelvin Giacobe Alves dos Santos answered with a goal, and Marinos' Kota Mizunuma made it 2-2.

Seung Beom Ko and Chung Yong Lee put Ulsan in front 3-2 and 4-3, but Marinos players Ken Matsubara and Jun Amano responded with shootout-tying goals.

Min Woo Kim, whose shot ricocheted off the goal bar in the 87th minute, then stepped to the spot with the shootout knotted at 4-4. He missed his attempt. William Popp, Marinos goalkeeper, made a clutch save, turning aside a low ball to his left.

Marinos fans breathed a collective sigh of relief. It quickly turned to elation.

Then Carlos Eduardo converted his attempt, sending Marinos to the Asian Champions League final. The first leg will be held at Yokohama Stadium on May 11.

How Al-Ain Secured a Spot in the Championship Round

In the other Asian Champions League semifinal series, United Arab Emirates club Al-Ain clinched a spot in the home-and-away final, defeating Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal 5-4 on aggregate on Tuesday, April 23 in Riyadh. Al-Ain won the first leg 4-2 on April 17, with Moroccan star Soufiane Rahimi notching a hat trick in the opening half. Six days later, Al-Hilal triumphed 2-1. 

Up next: After traveling to play Marinos in the first leg, Al-Ain will host the second leg on May 25 in UAE.

The J.League's Urawa Reds won the most recent Asian Champions League title in May 2023.

Heading into Wednesday's showdown in Yokohama, Marinos (4-2-2) sat in seventh place in the standings in the 20-team J.League. Ulsan, the 2020 Asian Champions League winner and two-time reigning K League champion, occupied third place in the 12-team circuit in the 2024 campaign with a 4-2-1 record.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.