Prophetic Asani hits winner as Gwangju stay second in Asian Champions League

HONG KONG : Substitute Jasir Asani scored with this first touch to earn Gwangju FC a 1-0 win over Shanghai Shenhua that kept the South Koreans in second in the league phase of the Asian Champions League Elite as Yokohama F Marinos defeated Pohang Steelers.
Goals from Yan Matheus and Anderson Lopes earned John Hutchison’s side a 2-0 victory at home to take the J-League outfit, runners-up in last season’s competition, up to third in the standings.
Both teams trail Japan’s Vissel Kobe in the quest for one of the eight berths from east Asia in the last 16 of the competition from the league phase.
Asani, the competition’s top scorer, increased his tally in this year’s tournament to seven goals in the 58th minute when the Albanian smashing a low drive past goalkeeper Bao Yaxiong a minute after replacing Oh Hu-seong.
“I said to the coach if I come inside I will score with my first touch, the first goal because I feel I can have a chance to score,” said Asani.
“I need to score more to help the team take the three points.”
The result keeps Gwangju in second and Shenhua remain in sixth on seven points, ahead of ninth placed Buriram United from Thailand on goal difference.
Marinos leapt ahead of fellow J-League side Kawasaki Frontale into third with a comfortable win over Pohang Steelers in Yokohama.
Matheus rolled home a close range finish four minutes before the break after the hosts had been frustrated by Pohang goalkeeper Hwang In-jae and it took until stoppage time at the end of the game for Lopes to score the second.
The Brazilian struck from the penalty spot following a foul on Ken Matsubara by Lee Dong-hyeop while Pohang were denied a late consolation as Marinos goalkeeper Hiroki Iikura saved Kim Myeong-jin’s spot-kick with his legs.