Yokohama Mariners defeated Bangkok United by a narrow 1-0 margin in the hotly contested Asian Football Confederation Championship, advancing with a thrilling 3-2 aggregate score. The two teams were in different groups, with Yokohama Mariners coming out on top in Group G, while Bangkok United held off Jeonbuk Hyundai in Group F to also advance to the top of the group. In the first round, Yokohama Mariners had a two-goal lead, but Bangkok United turned it around and received a red card in the final moments. Therefore, the winner of this matchup will directly determine who will step into the quarterfinals.
The match was played at the Yokohama International Complex Arena and was officiated by Uzbeksan referee Ilgiz Tantashev. In the first half, neither side had anything to offer, but the Yokohama Mariners took the initiative on the pitch, creating several threats. However, despite nine shots on goal, only one hit the target, while all five Bangkok United attacks were fruitless. In the second half, Yokohama Mariners' offense continued, but the shooting efficiency remained low. Bangkok United went all out on defense to build up for the extra time. After both teams failed to score in regulation time, the score was set at 2-2 and the match went into extra time.
Overtime was more intense, but both sides remained scoreless. Yokohama Mariners' Yufei Murakami grabbed a penalty kick in the 120th+1 minute and Lopez hit it to give Yokohama Mariners a 1-0 lead. In the end, Bangkok United failed to equalize and Yokohama Mariners eliminated their opponents from the tournament with a 3-2 aggregate score.
Meanwhile, Kofu-Fenglin were eliminated 1-5 on aggregate after going down 1-2 to Hyundai Ulsan in another match. The match, which took place at the New National Stadium in Tokyo, was enforced by Iranian referee Moeoud Bonnyadifard. Hyundai Ulsan took the lead just 11 minutes into the match with a breakaway goal by Hyeon Kim. Kofu Furin fought back with all their might but it was not until the 88th minute that Kazushi Mihei equalized, but it was too late. Ulsan Hyundai added a second goal in the 90th+4th minute when Cho Min-gyu completed the shutout. In the end, Ulsan Hyundai knocked out Kofu Fung Lam 5-1 on aggregate to reach the last eight, and will play Jeonbuk Hyundai in the Korea Derby. And in the 1/8 final, Jeonbuk Hyundai eliminated Pohang Steelers 3-1 to advance to the next round.
