NEWS

Gamba Osaka came from behind to beat Al Karama 2-1 in Syria, while defending champions Urawa Reds suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Al Qadsia in Kuwait City and Kashima Antlers were held to a 1-1 draw by Adelaide United at home in first-leg AFC Champions League quarterfinal matches on Wednesday night.

The second legs will be held on September 24.
Urawa, playing their first game in the annual AFC club competition following a bye in the group stage, struggled to find their pace against the Kuwaiti powerhouse.
Just after the half-hour mark, Brazilian forward Edmilson cancelled out Fahed Al Ebrahim’s 18th-minute opener by volleying home a Yuichiro Nagai cross.
But the hosts went ahead again in 58th minute through former Tunisia international Selim Benachour.
Things got worse for the visitors when defender Satoshi Horinouchi was sent off in the 83rd minute after collecting his second booking of the day when he conceded a penalty to Al Qadsia.
Khalaf Al Mutairi converted the spot kick for the 11-time Kuwait League champions to give his side a 3-1 lead.
But Reds continued to pressure their opponents and shortly before the final whistle Japan international Marcus Tulio Tanaka drove up the field to set up a chance for Edmilson to cut the deficit to 3-2.
”It was a tough match,” Reds manager Gert Engels said. “It would have been difficult for us if it had ended 3-1, but we’ve made it 3-2, which makes the situation a little easier for us.”
In Homs, Syria, Gamba faced a fierce attack from Al Karama from the start and saw the hosts take an early lead when Belal Abduldaim scored the opener in the seventh minute.
But the Osaka club remained calm and manager Akira Nishino made substitutions halfway through the second half, bringing in forwards Ryuji Bando and Masato Yamazaki.
In the 70th minute, Satoshi Yamaguchi headed home a Yasuhito Endo corner after good work by Bando. Seven minutes later, substitute forward Yamazaki dribbled through the Al Karama defense and fired home to hand his side the win.
“We had a hard start in the game but I knew we would have a chance to rally if we play calmly,” Nishino said. “I told our players at halftime to relax and increase the tempo of the game. They did well.”
In Kashima, the Antlers attacked hard but were frustrated by Adelaide’s solid defense and allowed the visitors to score first on a counterattack.
In the 38th minute, midfielder Travis Dodd connected with a Lucas Pantellis cross and sent the ball past Kashima goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata.
Kashima cancelled that out three minutes into injury time at the end of the first half when Japan right-back Atsuto Uchida’s 20-meter attempt hit Adelaide defender Robert Cornthwaite and deflected into the Aussie goal.
Kashima boss Oswaldo Oliveira brought on former FC Basel defender Koji Nakata in place of left-back Toru Araiba at halftime in an attempt to regain the momentum, and the hosts had efforts from Nakata, forward Shinzo Koroki and Brazilian midfielder Danilo.
Kashima’s Brazilian forward Marquinhos made attempts in the 69th and 89th minutes, while in stoppage time Uchida came close with a header. But the hosts couldn’t produce any more goals.
“In a game played at this level of the competition by two high standard teams, this could happen. Our opponents have high-level players and so do we. But they used one chance very well,” Oliveira commented.
“This is the end of the first leg. I think we have a good chance to win in the second leg. We have good players with good skills and we just need to be much calmer up front to score,” the Brazilian manager added.