Jeddah: Yasuto Wakizaka's extra time goal earned Japan's Kawasaki Frontale a historic semi-final berth after they defeated Al Sadd SC 3-2 in their AFC Champions League Elite Finals Jeddah 2025 quarter-final tie on Sunday. Having been denied at the last eight stage in three of their previous five appearances on the continental stage, Frontale showed grit to reach the semi-finals, setting up a date with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr Club on Wednesday, the AFC website reported.
According to Qatar News Agency, Frontale got off to a fabulous start, taking the lead after only four minutes when Yuki Yamamoto dispossessed Mohamed Camara, released Akihiro Ienaga on the right, whose cross was perfectly swept home by Erison. Their lead, however, only lasted five minutes as Al Sadd drew level when the talismanic Akram Afif put Paulo Otavio through with Frontale custodian Louis Yamaguchi failing to handle the Brazilian's shot at his near post.
With both teams opting to play free-flowing football, it was only a matter of time before another goal was scored with Frontale regaining their advantage in the 21st minute when Marcinho ran onto Yamamoto's perfectly weighted pass before lifting the ball over advancing Al Sadd goalkeeper Meeshal Barsham. The Japanese outfit looked to maximize their momentum but subsequent efforts from Yasuto Wakizaka, Yuichi Maruyama and Marcinho were just wide of the mark as they had to be content with a slender lead going into the break.
Al Sadd injected more urgency into their game after the interval with Otavio being their main source of attacking threat, with the full-back sending a swerving shot sailing over before seeing his downward header caught by Yamaguchi. There was an even better chance spurned by the Qatari side in the 66th minute after Guilherme Torres pinged a pass through for Afif, but the two-time AFC Player of the Year was thwarted by an alert Yamaguchi.
Al Sadd's relentless pressure eventually paid off in the 71st minute when Giovani sped away from his marker on the right flank and his subsequent cross was stepped over by Hasan Al Haydos, allowing Claudinho the chance to smash home to take the tie into extra time. The winning goal came in the 98th minute when Guilherme's underhit pass was pounced on by Yusuke Segawa who quickly relayed the ball to Shin Yamada who, in turn, cut back for Wakizaka to strike past Barsham to take Frontale through.