The first round of the final tournament of the ACL (Asia Champions League), which determines Asia's number one soccer club, began on the 13th, with J1 team Kawasaki Frontale defeating China's Shandong 3-2 in the first game of a home-and-away format.
The 16 teams that won the first round will participate in the ACL final tournament, and will play two games in a home and away format to determine the winner.
The first round began on the 13th, with Frontale playing away against Shandong.
In the 28th minute of the first half, new player Ellison converted a penalty kick taken by the opponent's handball to take the lead, and in the 33rd minute, Marsinho added another point with a header to give the team a 2-0 lead.
In the second half, they gave up one point, but Akihiro Ienaga scored a goal in the 34th minute, and although they conceded one point later, they managed to escape and win the first match 3-2.
The second match will be held on the 20th of this month at Frontale's home, Uvance Todoroki Stadium.
Three teams from Japan will participate in the final tournament: J1's Yokohama F. Marinos will face Thailand's Bangkok United on the 14th, and Ventforet Kofu, the first J2 team to advance to the final tournament, will play South Korea's Ulsan on the 15th. The first match of the first round will also be played away.