Sports Thursday, November 26, 2020 15 Iniesta goal takes Japan’s Vissel Kobe into last 16 AFP I know they are very good DOHA players, and we can do much, much, much better.” ANDRES Iniesta scored his Vissel Kobe had landed in first goal in the Asian Champi- Doha after a string of disap- ons League as Vissel Kobe pow- pointing results back home, ered their way to the last-16 conceding a whopping 58 (From L) Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes, with a dominant 3-1 win over goals in 33 league matches Brazilian forward Neymar and French forward Kylian Mbappe cel- Fabio Cannavaro’s Guangzhou and losing five games in a row. ebrate after winning the UEFA Champions League Group H second-leg Evergrande in their Group G Results But their coach Atsuhiro Miura match against RB Leipzig at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris clash on Wednesday. Vissel Kobe 3 (Kyogo Furuhashi 44’, Douglas was basking in joy on Wednes- late on Tuesday. (AFP) The Spain and Barcelona 74’, Andreas Iniesta 84’) bt Guangzhou day, saying he was ready with legend fired a right-footed Evergrande FC 1 (Kyugo Furuhashi 55 (OG)) a game plan against a side shot from the centre of the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1 (Sung-Eun Na packed with several Brazilians. Neymar keeps PSG on box in the 84th minute to help 44’) bt Sydney FC 0 “Guangzhou is a very Yokohama F Marinos 1 (Jun Amano 90’) the Japanese side consoli- bt Shanghai SIPG 0. strong side, they have several date their position at the top good Brazilian players but we course in UEFA Champions of their group with two wins analysed how they play and from as many matches. of brief purple patches during how to prevent them from League with Leipzig win They are now five points which they had the Kobe de- playing to their strengths,” ahead of Guangzhou and Su- fence under pressure, the goal said Miura. AFP maintain possession and stop won Samsung Bluewings and they were looking for never “We did everything well PARIS the waves of Leipzig attacks. assured of a spot in the knock- materialised. and everything went how we “There are lots of things out phase after the group was Vissel Kobe regained the wanted it to. That’s why we got A nervy Paris Saint-Germain that happen that people may- reduced to three teams fol- lead in the 74th minute when this result.” were outplayed for long spells be don’t know about,” insisted lowing Malaysian side Johor Douglas, who had come on but held on after an early Ney- Marquinhos, with PSG having Darul Ta’zim’s withdrawal just five minutes earlier, took Amano strikes for mar penalty to beat RB Leipzig struggled with injuries, sus- from the tournament. advantage of a great back-heel Yokohama 1-0 on Tuesday and revive their pensions and coronavirus in- Iniesta, who was declared from Daigo Nishi and blasted In Group H, Jun Amano Champions League campaign. fections all season. MVP of the match, had been the ball home. scored the only goal of the Last season’s runners-up Here they were without as an influential presence for Vis- Brazil-born Elekson, now match in the 90th minute as had lost two of their opening many as six first-team regulars. sel Kobe throughout the en- known as Ai Kesen, had a Yokohama F. Marinos sneaked three matches in Group H and “I don’t think we had the counter with his quick think- goal disallowed for off-side on a 1-0 victory over Shanghai would have been staring at an means to put in an exceptional ing and crisp passing, and that eight minutes and when Inies- SIPG to go top with three wins early exit from the competi- performance, but the most im- reflected in their first goal in ta struck two minutes later, it from as many matches. tion had they lost again to the portant thing was the victory.” the 44th minute at the Khalifa extended Cannavaro’s misery After several near miss- Germans behind closed doors The decisive spot-kick was International Stadium. Vissel Kobe midfielder Andres Iniesta celebrates after scoring during in Doha. es by both sides, SIPG were at the Parc des Princes. awarded when Marcel Sabitzer The Spanish veteran dashed the AFC Champions League Group G match against Guangzhou “The result is bad. We tried awarded a penalty late in the Yet Neymar’s 11th-minute was rather harshly adjudged his way up on the left flank to Evergrande at the Khalifa International Stadium on Wednesday. (AFP) but I know that something in game for Ken Matsubara’s foul spot-kick proved enough for a to have fouled Angel Di Maria. control a long diagonal pass my team is not clear. I don’t on Mirahmetjan Muzepper. PSG side struggling with inju- Neymar rolled the ball and after advancing further scoring lasted only 10 minutes Cannavaro made three know if they are afraid to play But penalty-taker Oscar ries and suspensions, as Leip- home from 12 yards for his turned around near the goal- as the forward first conceded substitutions in a desperate bid or they are not confident any- watched in dismay as goal- zig failed to convert any of the first Champions League goal line to tap the ball onto the path a corner and then watched for victory after having drawn more,” the Italian complained keeper Powell Obinna Obi chances that came their way. of the season on what was his of the advancing Kyogo Furu- in horror as his attempted their opening game against Su- after the match. produced a great save. Amano “We are a team who, in the first start in almost a month hashi who struck with a clean, clearance from the resultant won Samsung Bluewings. “I need to try and do my then killed off the contest by difficult moments, manage to after injury. low shot from close range. kick found his own net to give But although the two-time best to give them the confi- tapping in a rebound in the stick together and do a good “Paris didn’t have a single Furuhashi’s personal joy at Guangzhou the equalizer. champions enjoyed a couple dence to play. This is my job. last minute. job. Once again we proved chance in the whole match, that,” captain Marquinhos and the penalty was a joke,” told RMC Sport. Nagelsmann fumed to Sky Both PSG and Leipzig are Germany. now level on six points with “To see that at this level AFC thanks Jeonbuk pip Sydney FC to keep hopes alive two games still to come, is really sad. Di Maria dived. with Manchester United There was no contact.” Qatar for AFC was collected by goalkeeper three points clear at the top Alongside Neymar, Ky- DOHA Song Beom-keun, then a Kosta of the section after easing to lian Mbappe saw his Euro- Barbaroses first-time attempt a 4-1 victory over Istanbul pean goal drought go on – ensuring NA Sung-eun’s first half strike to stab in Trent Buhagiar’s Basaksehir. Ligue 1’s leading scorer has was the difference as Jeonbuk cross missed the target. Crucially, PSG have the still not scored a Champions successful Hyundai Motors got their first Gambian winger Modou head-to-head advantage over League goal in 2020 in eight win of the 2020 AFC Cham- Barrow was lively through- Leipzig, thanks to an away appearances. Champions pions League in a 1-0 victory out the first half and his cross goal, if the two teams end level Nevertheless, PSG did not over Sydney FC at Al Janoub from the right landed at Gus- on points. They lost 2-1 when need their French World Cup- Stadium on Wednesday, con- tavo’s feet just seven yards off the teams met in Germany winning superstar to be at his League signing the Australians to ear- the goal line, but the Brazilian three weeks ago. best as Leipzig -- who have ly elimination. striker was denied a second Thomas Tuchel’s team not managed to replace Timo AFC The two sides went into the goal of the campaign by a he- go to Old Trafford next and Werner since the Germany KUALA LUMPUR match knowing defeat would roic diving save from Sydney the feeling is that the French striker left for Chelsea -- were make the losing team the first to FC goalkeeper Adam Pavlesic. champions could still just as unable to turn their domi- THE president of the Asian exit the 2020 AFC Champions The deadlock was finally easily advance to the last 16 in nance of possession into goals. Football Confederation (AFC) League (East), with both teams Jeonbuk’s midfielder Na Seong-eun celebrates his goal during the broken just before the half-time first place as they could fail to Dayot Upamecano saw his Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim having collected just one point AFC Champions League Group H match against Australia’s Sydney FC whistle as Gustavo teed-up Na qualify at all. header tipped over by Key- Al Khalifa praised the efforts from their first three matches. at the Al Janoub Stadium on Wednesday. (AFP) who fired from the right through They brushed Leipzig lor Navas and Emil Forsberg of Qatar towards delivering a Sydney FC matched their the legs of Michael Zullo into the aside in the semi-finals of last turned a Dani Olmo cross over successful 2020 AFC Champi- opponents for possession to 13 games.