As the fifth round of the group stage of the AFC Elite League came to a close, the rankings were revitalized, with the results updated and the landscape refreshed in Beijing on November 27th.
In this round of matches, the Super League powerhouses delivered a 2 wins and 1 loss. Tarzan narrowly beat Johor 1-0 at home, with Zeca the goal scorer and Wang Dalei's heroics not to be overlooked; Ports relied on Vargas' three-goal outburst to turn Ulsan Hyundai around 3-1, although their opponents remained resilient; and unfortunately for Shenhua, they went down 0-1 to Gwangju FC.
After five rounds, Kobe Victory FC are riding high with four wins and a draw to lead the table with 13 points, followed by Gwangju FC with 12 points, Yokohama Mariners in third with 10 points and Kawasaki Frontale in fourth with nine points. Seven teams are tied on seven points, including CSKA 3, Johor and Buriram United, while Taishan are seventh with seven points and Pohang Steelers are 10th with six points. The battle for the group stage qualification spots is getting hotter. Ulsan Hyundai are at the bottom of the table with five defeats, while Central Coast Mariners are at the bottom with one point, making the prospects for both teams to qualify a worrying one.
Taishan will face Kawasaki Frontale in the upcoming sixth round, with the match scheduled to be staged on December 4, when Taishan will be on the road. It is worth noting that Cressan will not be able to play in this crucial matchup due to the three yellow cards he accumulated in last night's game.
