Speaking points of the week in Asian football:
MELBOURNE VICTORY DOWN CITY IN SHOOT-OUT AS SYDNEY PROGRESS Melbourne Victory’s Paul Izzo saved four penalties as Aurelio Vidmar’s side beat rivals Melbourne City 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out to set up a semi-final meeting to set up the A-League with Wellington Phoenix after a 1-1 draw after extra time.
Sydney FC also advanced to the last four, where they will meet A-League Premiers Central Coast Mariners, after Robert Mak scored twice in his side’s 4-0 win over Macarthur FC. MACHIDA DEFEATS KASHIWA TO REclaim TOP SPOT IN J.LEAGUE
Machida Zelvia returned to pole position in the J.League on Friday with a 2-0 win over Kashiwa Reysol, replacing Cerezo Osaka at the summit after a 1-1 draw against Consadole Sapporo. Goals from Oh Se-hun and Shunta Araki earned Machida a victory that takes them to 22 points, two ahead of defending champion Vissel Kobe, who won 2-0 against Nagoya Grampus thanks to strikes from Hotaru Yamaguchi and Yuya Osako. Cerezo drops to third place.
SHENHUA EXTENDS CSL LEAD TO FIVE POINTS WITH ZHEJIANG VICTORY Shanghai Shenhua opened a five-point lead in the Chinese Super League with a 4-0 thrashing of Zhejiang FC on Sunday as Chengdu Rongcheng slumped to a 2-1 defeat by Beijing Guoan.
The results drop Chengdu to fourth in the standings, while Shanghai Port rises to second after their 6-0 defeat of Shenzhen Peng City, in which Matias Vargas scored a hat-trick. THE LATEST KIM GOAL SEES POHANG ONE POINT AHEAD OF ULSAN
Kim Jong-woo scored deep into stoppage time to maintain Pohang Steelers’ one-point lead at the top of the K-League. He scored the only goal in the 1-0 win over Jeonbuk Motors on Saturday. The victory keeps Park Te-ha’s team clear of defending champion Ulsan Hyundai, who owed Martin Adam’s injury time penalty to the 1-0 win over FC Seoul.
MITROVIC’S RETURN KEEPS AL-HILAL ON TRACK FOR SAUDI TITLE Aleksandar Mitrovic returned from injury on Friday to open the scoring in Al-Hilal’s 3-0 win over Al-Taawon as Jorge Jesus’ side moved closer claiming the Saudi Pro League title came .
Al-Hilal remain nine points ahead of second-placed Al-Nassr despite playing one match less, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick for his side in their 6-0 win over Al-Wehda. KUOL STRIKE DESERVES CENTRAL COAST VICTORY IN FINAL AFC CUP
Central Coast Mariners became the first Australian club to win the AFC Cup on Sunday when Mark Jackson’s side triumphed 1-0 over Lebanese Al-Ahed to lift the trophy at Sultan Qaboos Stadium in Muscat. KOKUBO PENALTY SAVE SEALS U23 ASIAN CUP WIN FOR JAPANESE
Japan won the Under 23 Asian Cup with a late 1-0 win over Uzbekistan in Doha, with Fuki Yamada’s 91st minute strike putting Go Oiwa’s side ahead before a late penalty save from Leo Kokubo prevented the match from going into the extension went.
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