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DOHA - Leandro Damiao scored a brilliant hat-trick as Kawasaki Frontale powered into the last-16 phase of the Asian Champions League with a 3-1 win over Daegu FC on Thursday.
The Japanese side locked top spot in Group I with one match to spare after their fifth consecutive win, while Daegu also kept their hopes alive of sneaking through as one of the three best second-placed teams among the five groups in the eastern half of Asia's top club competition.
Kawasaki’s compatriots Nagoya Grampus and South Korean Giants Jeonbuk Hyundai had booked their spots in the round of 16 earlier in the tournament.
After an almost equal contest in the first half hour on Thursday, Brazilian striker Leandro struck with a header in the 34th minute to give Kawasaki the lead in Tashkent.
The Koreans however were not dispirited as they pushed forward and were rewarded in the 43rd minute when their own Brazilian pro Edgar Silva scored with a low drive from the centre of the box from a cross by An Yong-woo.
The match appeared set for a thrilling conclusion but Leandro’s brilliant finishing killed off Daegu’s hopes of an upset win.
The former Flamengo and Real Betis player scored his second goal in the 64th minute from a pass by Yasuto Wakizaka and then completed his treble three minutes from time with another shot from the centre of the box, this time from an assist by Kaoru Mitoma.
Elsewhere on Thursday, holders Ulsan Hyundai were all but through to the round of 16 while their main Group F rivals BG Pathum United too stayed in contention after both sides registered crucial wins.
Making their mark
While Ulsan eased past Viettel FC 3-0 for their fifth straight win in this year’s competition, Thailand’s Pathum United beat Kaya FC 1-0 to post their fourth victory in five matches, a result that gives them an outside chance of even topping the group.
Ulsan, who took their tally to 15 points, will now face Pathum United, on 12, in their last group game on Sunday with everything to play for.
While several debutants from the ASEAN region struggled to make an impact in the expanded tournament, some even suffering embarrassing defeats, Pathum United have been quietly making their mark with consistently impressive performances in Group F.
Pathum United and Kaya FC were evenly matched on Thursday although the Thais created more chances at the Leo Stadium, their home ground in Thanyaburi.
The hosts could have been ahead in the fourth minute but Brazilian forward Diogo’s header from a Surachat Sareepim cross was cleared by defender Simone Rota.
Andres Tunez and Teerasil Dangda also missed out on a chance each in the first half while Diogo, Daizo Horikoshi and Sarach couldn’t make the best of the opportunities that came their way after the break.
But the deadlock was broken 17 minutes from time with midfielder Sarach slotting from the edge of the box after the Kaya defence failed to properly deal with a corner.
Kaya’s desperate efforts for an equalizer went in vain as the Filipinos suffered their fifth straight defeat and remained at the bottom.
Meanwhile there was no stopping Ulsan Hyundai as they notched up their 14th consecutive win starting with last year’s tournament which they won with a dazzling run of nine straight victories.
All the Ulsan goals on Thursday came in the second half with Georgian Valeri Qazaishvili first striking in the 48th minute from an assist by Koh Myong-jin.
Lukas Hinterseer made it 2-0 seven minutes later before Oh Se-hun sealed three points for the Koreans with an 86th minute strike as Viettel crashed to their fourth defeat.
In another match of little consequence on Thursday, the Philippines’ United City beat Beijing Guoan 3-2 in Group I. - AFP. July 9, 2021
