Late Yamakawa header earns Kobe victory in Asian Champions League

Nov 3 - Vissel Kobe needed a late header from captain Tetsushi Yamakawa to secure a 3-2 win over Ratchaburi from Thailand on Tuesday and maintain their perfect start to the eastern league phase in the Asian Champions League Elite.

Ekanit Panya gave the visitors an 82nd-minute lead after Phongsakorn Sangkasopha had cancelled out Kento Hamasaki's opener but goals from Erik and Yamakawa in the final seven minutes secured a fourth win in a row for Kobe.

"I'm happy that we won, but in the second half there were a lot of issues with our performance," Yamakawa said. "As a team, I think we really need to take another look at those areas and address them."

Kobe lead the 16-team standings with 12 points at the halfway point in the league phase with the first eight finishers from east and west Asia advancing to the knockout rounds.

Kashiwa Reysol moved up to third behind Kashima Antlers, who play Buriram United on Wednesday, with their 2-0 win over Daejeon Citizen achieved with second-half goals from Kenta Endo and Shuto Fujio.

Jeonbuk Motors handed Johor Darul Ta'zim from Malaysia their first loss as goals from Bruno Mota and Italo earned the South Koreans a 2-0 home win.

Port FC picked up their first win in the competition with a spectacular 7-4 thrashing of 10-man Beijing Guoan in Phatum Thani.

Bordin Phala scored twice after Guilherme Ramos was sent off in the 58th minute to complete his hat-trick and Peerasak Poeiphimai netted twice as the Thais claimed their first points of the campaign.

Shanghai Port returned to winning ways with a 4-2 win over their hosts Newcastle Jets with Li Xinxiang's late volley sealing the win for Kevin Muscat's side on their coach's return to Australia.

Cong An Ha Noi, meanwhile, held Japan's Kyoto Sanga to a 0-0 draw at Hang Day Stadium.

The last 16 phase of the competition will be played on a home-and-away basis in March with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia in April and May. REUTERS