YOKOHAMA (Reuters) – Ten-man Yokohama F Marinos secured a spot in the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Shandong Taishan, thanks to Anderson Lopes’ volley. This win completed a 3-1 aggregate triumph for Harry Kewell’s team.
Yokohama had a slender 2-1 lead from the first leg, but Katsuya Nagato’s red card in the second half made the task more challenging. However, Lopes’ goal in the 75th minute extended their lead, and Gao Zhunyi’s dismissal sealed their path to the next round.
They will now face Ulsan Hyundai in the semi-finals on April 17 and 24 after the South Korean side defeated Jeonbuk Motors in their semi-final clash.
“I’m glad it’s over,” said Kewell, acknowledging the tough challenge posed by Shandong. “We created enough chances, especially in the first part of the game, to bury it.”
It will be Marinos’ first appearance in the semi-finals, and they had little trouble against Shandong, who needed to score to stay in the competition.
After a tight first half, the game shifted when Nagato was sent off for a foul on Tong Lei, putting the Japanese side at a numerical disadvantage.
Despite being a man down, Marinos maintained their attacking intent, and Lopes’s goal in the 75th minute put the tie out of reach for Shandong.
With Gao’s late red card, Shandong’s chances of a comeback faded, and Marinos progressed to complete the semi-final lineup.
Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia will face Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates in the west Asia semi-final after overcoming Al-Ittihad. Al-Ain ousted Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the previous round.
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Christian Radnedge)
