Kawasaki Frontale delivered a stunning performance on Wednesday, defeating Shanghai Shenhua 4-0 in the second leg of the AFC Champions League Round of 16. The Japanese side overcame a 1-0 deficit from the first leg to secure a 4-1 aggregate victory and advance to the quarterfinals.
Frontale started strong, opening the scoring in the 24th minute. Asahi Sasaki cut inside from the right wing and curled a left-footed shot into the net, leveling the aggregate score. The hosts nearly doubled their lead in the 36th minute when Kota Takai found the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul during the buildup.
Maintaining their offensive momentum after the break, Frontale struck again in the 64th minute. Sasaki provided a precise cross for Erison, who slotted home to make it 2-0. Just three minutes later, Tatsuya Ito extended the lead to 3-0 with a well-placed shot.
In stoppage time, Marcinho added the final goal, sealing a dominant 4-0 victory for Kawasaki Frontale. With this result, the Chinese Super League side exits the tournament, while Frontale moves forward.
“This experience in the AFC Champions League has been invaluable,” said Shenhua coach Leonid Slutsky. “We will use these lessons to help our players continue developing.”
Kawasaki Frontale’s impressive comeback sends a strong message to their rivals as they prepare for the quarterfinals of Asia’s premier club competition.
