In the second round of the AFC Champions League group stage matches, Chinese Super League powerhouse Taishan welcomed a showdown with J-League rivals Yokohama Mariners. Taishan made their debut as last season's FA Cup champions and runners-up in the Chinese Super League, while Yokohama Mariners are currently at the top of the table after losing to K-League side Incheon United in the first round of the group stage. Taishan beat Kaya FC of the Philippines 3-1 in the first round, while Yokohama Mariners fell to Incheon United 2-4. The Tarzan fans will be eager to return home, with manager Choi Kang-hee aiming for a second consecutive win to jump to the top of the group, while Yokohama Mariners will be eager to get all three points.
For the start of the match, Taishan went with a 4231 formation, with goalkeeper Wang Dalei in goal, Jadason and Shi Ke partnering at center back, Liu Yang and Wang Tong on the wings, Liao Lixiang and Li Yuan partnering in the midfield, and Moises, Chen Pu, and Cressan forming an attacking triangle, with Fellaini acting as a single arrow. Yokohama Mariners also played in 4231, with Jun Ichimori in goal, Ken Matsubara, Tadanori Kamishima, Ryotaro Kakuta and Sei Kato in the backline, Kaiha Yoshio and Roku Yamane in the midfield, Hongtai Mizunuma, Taehee Minami and Elber up front, and Asahi Uekichu as the striker.
At the beginning of the match, both sides started a fierce battle in the midfield, with Taishan attacking more from the side, and both Moises and Chan Pu got a chance to shoot, but Chan Pu was ruled offside. Yokohama Mariners played mainly in the middle of the field, and in the 29th minute, after Elber cooperated with his teammates in the penalty area, Mizunuma Hongtai grabbed the goal point, and Taishan was passively behind. In the second half, Choi Kang-hee replaced Li Yuan-yi with Xie Wen to enhance the midfield attack, and Pato also replaced Chen Pu, and Taishan launched a fierce attack, but Yokohama Mariners, who had 65% of the possession, firmly controlled the pace of the game, and Taishan took 10 shots on goal but failed to get anything.
In the end, Taishan lost by one goal at home and Yokohama Mariners earned their first AFC Champions League win. Both teams have three points each and are battling for second place in the group stage. Meanwhile, Incheon United made it two wins in a row with an easy victory over Kaya FC to lead the Group G standings.
