Kawasaki Frontale, a club from Japan made a history reached final for the first time in history after beating Al Nassr, a club from Saudi Arabia scoring 3-2 in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 Semi-Final at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah.
In a match filled with drama, intensity, and world-class football, Frontale defied the odds against a star-studded Al Nassr side led by Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane to book their place in the final for the very first time in club history.
Coming off a narrow quarter-final win over Al Sadd, Frontale rotated heavily with six changes to their starting XI, while Al Nassr fielded the same team that dismantled Yokohama F. Marinos 4-1 in their previous tie. But it was the Japanese side who showed composure, grit, and clinical finishing to seize their biggest-ever continental moment.
Louis Yamaguchi was called into action early, diving low to deny Jhon Duran’s shot inside the first minute, but Frontale quickly responded. Marcinho shrugged off Marcelo Brozovic in the 6th minute before firing wide—only a warning of what was to come.
Moments later, Tatsuya Ito sent the Frontale supporters into delirium with a spectacular volley from outside the box, crashing into the top corner to give the Japanese side a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute.
Al Nassr equalized through Sadio Mane in the 20th minute when his shot deflected off Yuichi Maruyama and left Yamaguchi helpless. The Saudis nearly went ahead in the 33rd minute, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s header struck the post, keeping Frontale alive.
That miss proved costly. In the 41st minute, Ito’s shot was parried by Bento, but 20-year-old Yuto Ozeki was on hand to tuck in the rebound and restore Frontale’s advantage before the break.
In the second half, Al Nassr dominated possession but struggled to penetrate a disciplined and well-organized Frontale defense. Content to strike on the counter, Kawasaki struck a killer blow in the 74th minute: a lightning run by Erison down the byline saw him beat Aymeric Laporte and square the ball for Akihiro Ienaga, who calmly slotted home to make it 3-1.
A late goal from Aiman Yahya in the 87th minute reignited hope for Al Nassr, and Ronaldo had three chances in a frantic finale, but Frontale stood firm, repelling every attack to seal their historic place in the final.
This unforgettable performance marks a defining moment in Kawasaki Frontale’s history, as they now stand just one win away from lifting Asia’s most prestigious club trophy for the very first time.
Credit Photo : HongZheng Lim/SNE-Photo
