Soccer-Muto on target as Kobe kick off Asian Champions League challenge with win

Sept 16 (Reuters) - Vissel ⁠Kobe secured a 2-1 win over Port FC through Yoshinori Muto's deft ⁠finish as the Japanese side made the perfect start to the league ‌phase of the Asian Champions League Elite in Thailand on Wednesday.

The former Japan international netted in the 61st minute to seal all three points for Michael Skibbe's side, who had taken the lead in ​the 10th minute through Ren Komatsu.

Komatsu had put the ⁠J-League outfit in front from ⁠close range when Diego's long throw into the Port penalty area was flicked on ⁠by ‌Issei Takahashi and the striker pounced.

But the unfortunate Komatsu was to find the back of the net at the other end of the pitch in ⁠the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time when he redirected ​Issam Al-Sabhi's header over ‌his own goal-line.

Muto, however, hit the winner when he was played in ⁠on goal by ​fellow substitute Yuya Osako before lifting a calm finish over Port goalkeeper Michael Falksgaard as last season's semi-finalists picked up all three points.

Meanwhile, former champions Jeonbuk Motors battled back from ⁠going a goal down to win 2-1 against Kashiwa ​Reysol in Jeonju.

Kenshin Yuba's individual effort put the Japanese side in front in the 30th minute, but Tiago Orobo levelled the scores three minutes into the second half with ⁠a header.

Italo claimed the points for Jeonbuk in the 69th minute, the Brazilian powering past a pair of Kashiwa defenders before sliding his shot into the bottom corner of Ryosuke Kojima's goal.

The top eight finishers in both east and west Asia will ​advance to the knockout rounds from the league phase, ⁠which has been expanded from 24 to 32 teams for the latest edition of the ​competition.

The last 16 matches will be played on ‌a home-and-away basis in March while the quarter-finals, ​semi-finals and final will be held in Saudi Arabia in a centralised format in April and May.

(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Christian Radnedge)

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9月16日（路透社）——周三，神户胜利船凭借武藤嘉纪的巧妙进球，以2-1战胜港口FC，在泰国举行的亚冠联赛精英赛联赛阶段取得了完美的开局。

这位前日本国脚在第 61 分钟进球，为迈克尔·斯基贝的球队锁定胜局，拿下三分。此前，小松莲在第 10 分钟为球队取得领先。

小松近距离破门，帮助J联赛球队取得领先。当时迭戈将球掷入港口队的禁区，高桥一成头球摆渡，小松迅速跟进破门。

但不幸的是，小松在上半场补时第四分钟在球场的另一端攻破了对方球门，他将伊萨姆·阿尔-萨比的头球攻门顶过了自家球门线。

然而，武藤嘉纪在替补队友大迫勇也的助攻下获得单刀机会，冷静地将球挑过港口队门将迈克尔·福克斯加德，打入制胜球，帮助上赛季的半决赛队伍拿下三分。

与此同时，前冠军全北现代汽车队在全州以 2-1 逆转战胜柏太阳神队，此前他们曾一度落后一球。

汤叶谦信凭借个人能力在第30分钟帮助日本队取得领先，但蒂亚戈·奥罗博在下半场开始三分钟后头球破门，将比分扳平。

比赛第 69 分钟，伊塔洛为全北现代拿下三分。这位巴西球员突破了柏太阳神队的两名后卫，然后将球滑入小岛亮介把守的球门底角。

东亚和西亚排名前八的队伍将从联赛阶段晋级淘汰赛阶段。本届比赛的联赛阶段参赛队伍已从 24 支扩大到 32 支。

最后 16 场比赛将于 3 月份以主客场制进行，而四分之一决赛、半决赛和决赛将于 4 月和 5 月在沙特阿拉伯以集中赛制进行。

（迈克尔·丘奇报道，克里斯蒂安·拉德内奇编辑）

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