Johor Darul Ta’zim produced another historic moment for Malaysian football after advancing to the quarter-finals with a 3–2 aggregate victory over Sanfrecce Hiroshima despite losing 0-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 Round of 16 (East Zone) Second Leg at Hiroshima Soccer Stadium, Hiroshima.
JDT entered the decisive encounter with a disciplined lineup as head coach Xisco Muñoz trusted Andoni Zubiaurre to guard the goal.
In front of him, the defensive line was marshalled by experienced midfielder-turned-defender Eddy Israfilov, who played a crucial role in organising the team’s defensive structure.
Up front, the attacking responsibilities fell to Jairo da Silva and Nacho Méndez, who were tasked with leading the Southern Tigers’ attacking efforts.
Meanwhile, the hosts relied on goalkeeper Keisuke Osaka and striker Kosuke Kinoshita as they pushed to overturn the deficit and keep their continental hopes alive.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd in Hiroshima, the Japanese side began the match with an aggressive tempo, launching waves of attacks from the opening whistle.
Despite the relentless pressure from Sanfrecce Hiroshima, the Malaysian champions maintained composure and defensive discipline to absorb the early onslaught.
The first half ended 0–0, with both sides creating several opportunities but failing to find the breakthrough.
The intensity remained high after the restart as both teams continued to search for the decisive goal.
Chances came at both ends of the pitch, but neither side was able to convert despite several promising attacking moves.
Both coaches made tactical substitutions in the second half in an attempt to break the deadlock, yet the match remained finely balanced as the clock ticked down.
Drama finally arrived deep into stoppage time when Kosuke Kinoshita converted a penalty for Sanfrecce Hiroshima, reducing the aggregate deficit and briefly reigniting hope for the home side.
However, the late strike proved insufficient as JDT successfully held on to secure a 3–2 aggregate victory, confirming their place among Asia’s top eight clubs.
With the result, Johor Darul Ta’Zim advance to the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025–26, where the competition format introduces a new structure.
The last eight will feature four teams from the East Zone and four from the West Zone, with an open draw allowing clubs from either region to face each other.
Unlike previous knockout rounds, the quarter-finals will be decided in a single-match format, with the winners progressing directly to the semi-finals.
All matches from the quarter-finals to the final will be staged at a neutral venue in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Credit Photo : JST
