Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Suwon: Mu Kanazaki struck twice as Kashima Antlers beat Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2-1 in their 2018 AFC Champions League Group H match on Wednesday.
It took just eight minutes for Kashima to open the scoring after some superb interplay. Yuma Suzuki drove in from the left and played the ball inside to Yasushi Endo. The midfielder floated a delicate first time ball into the path of Kanazaki who calmly side footed home.
Suwon had the perfect chance to level when they won a penalty in the 24th minute after Waguininho fell under contact from Leo Silva. But the hosts spurned the opportunity when Dejan Damjanovic’s spot-kick was saved by Kwoun Sun-tae.
Yeom Ki-hun’s free-kick went wide in the 34th minute but Kashima remained dangerous on the break and Kanazaki’s curling effort forced No Dong-geon to punch clear.
The visitors then had a great chance to add a second two minutes after the interval, but Suzuki’s header from Kanazaki’s cross went straight to goalkeeper No Dong-geon.
But it wouldn’t be long before Kashima scored again. Just before the hour mark, Endo swung in a fine cross and Kento Misao dived to head across goal. His effort looked goal-bound but Kanazaki nodded home on the line to make sure.
Kashima came close to a third when Hiroki Abe smashed a shot off the crossbar with five minutes remaining but Cristovam’s fine solo effort in the 89th minute gave Suwon hope before the J.League side held on for the victory.
Kashima will approach another road trip to Sydney FC with confidence in two weeks, while Suwon will look to get a better result at home against Shanghai Shenhua.