ACL Group G: Suwon 4-1 Kashima: Antlers gored by high-flying Bluewings

Suwon Samsung Bluewings proved too powerful for Kashima Antlers as the Korean and Japanese champions clashed in their Group G opener.

SUWON – A two-goal salvo in the dying minutes of the first-half set Korean champions Suwon Bluewings up for a 4-1 thrashing of Kashima Antlers in their AFC Champions League Group G clash on Wednesday.

Chinese international Li Weifeng gave Cha Bum-kun’s side the lead one minute from the end of the half with a well-struck right foot effort that found the roof of the net before Eduardo doubled his side’s lead as the half entered stoppage-time.

Hong Soon-hak added Suwon’s third eight minutes from time to all but guarantee the two-time Asian champions a winning start to this year’s campaign before Park Hyun-bem capped a remarkable result with a low strike in the first minute of stoppage-time.

The win was well deserved and it was the Koreans who fashioned the first chance of the game after just six minutes through Baek Ji-hoon, although his right foot shot was wide of Hitoshi Sogahata’s right post.

Six minutes later, Marquinhos capitalised on some poor defending by Suwon to release Danilo in the penalty area but the Brazilian’s shot caused Lee Woon-jae in the Suwon goal little trouble.

Masashi Motoyama’s long rang shot and a header from Marquinhos saw Antlers marginally in the ascendancy as the half wore on before the fireworks started in the dying minutes of the period.

Suwon took the lead in the 44th minute after the Kashima defence struggled to clear a free kick into the centre by Kim Dae-eui and Li lashed the ball into the roof of the net with a sweetly struck right foot shot that Sogahata could do little about.

Less than two minutes later, the Koreans were further ahead. Hong’s cross from the left curled behind the Kashima defence and Eduardo met the ball on the volley at the far post.

Suwon were rarely troubled in the second half despite Kashima’s need to pull a goal back and at the other end it was Kim Daeu-eui who went closest to adding to the score line.

With 18 minutes to go, Marquinhos found himself in position to halve the deficit only to see his close range effort pushed over the bar by Lee Woon-jae as Suwon’s defence continued to hold firm.

The Koreans then put the result beyond any doubt in the 81st minute when Hong played a neat one-two with substitute Seo Dong-hyeon before firing off a shot that Sogahata was unable to stop from crossing the line.

Park added insult to injury one minute into added time when he scored from just inside the penalty area with a low right foot shot, although Marquinhos did claim a consolation goal less than a minute later when he finally managed to steer a header beyond Lee.