PETALING JAYA: Revenge tasted sweet for Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) after they beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3-1 in the AFC Champions League (ACL) Elite round-of-16 first leg at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Wednesday (March 4).
The home side had their first chance as early as the third minute when striker Joao Figueiredo shot from outside the box, which was saved by Sanfrecce goalkeeper Keisuke Osako.
JDT were then dealt a blow in the 25th minute when captain Natxo Insa had to be taken off with an injury, and he was replaced by Spaniard midfielder Ager Aketxe.
Sanfrecce were then hit with the red mist when South Korean centreback Kim Sung-ju got his second yellow of the match for an elbow on Portuguese midfielder Rui Nene in the 26th minute.
In the second-half, the Southern Tigers broke the deadlock through Aketxe, when he received a pass from Nacho Mendez and unleashed a left-footed shot from outside of the box in the 52nd minute.
The second came in the 63rd minute through Brazilian striker Bergson Da Silva, who finished off his chance in the box.
Brazilian winger Marcus Guilherme completed a glorious night for JDT when he finished off a long pass from Spanish wingback Oscar Arribas in the 85th minute.
Sanfrecce got their consolation in the 87th minute when Nene scored an own goal.
Both sides had faced each other before in the group stages when Sanfrecce beat JDT 2-1 in Hiroshima on Feb 10.
The second leg will be held at the Edion Peace Wing Stadium in Hiroshima on March 11.
