Asian Champions League Elite: Japan trio eye qualification; former champs Ulsan face exit
Yokohama F Marinos, Vissel Kobe face Chinese sides while Kawasaki Frontale travel to South Korea; Ulsan Hyundai must beat Buriram
Japanese trio Yokohama F Marinos, Vissel Kobe and Kawasaki Frontale can all confirm their progress to the last 16 of the Asian Champions League Elite this week as former champions Ulsan Hyundai face the prospect of an early exit.
The East Asian league phase resumes after a two-month break with Ulsan, winners in 2012 and 2020, travelling to Thailand to take on Buriram United on Wednesday needing a victory to keep their slim hopes of advancing alive.
Hong Myung-bo’s side sit in 11th place in the 12-team standings with three points, five adrift of eighth-placed Buriram and the final qualifying berth for the knockout rounds with two matches remaining.
The top eight finishers in both west and East Asia advance to the next phase, with the round of 16 to be played in March before a centralised finals round to be held in Saudi Arabia in April and May.
Back-to-back J-League champions Vissel Kobe will entertain Chinese Super League title holders Shanghai Port on Tuesday knowing a draw would be enough to confirm their progress.
Kobe go into the game against Kevin Muscat’s team off the back of a 2-0 loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Saturday’s Japan Super Cup while Kawasaki Frontale travel to South Korea to face Pohang Steelers under new coach Shigetoshi Hasebe.
