Sports
BG Pathum United Thrashed By Urawa Reds 4-0 at Champions League Quarter-Finals
BG Pathum United were humiliated by Japan’s Urawa Reds 4-0 on Monday, setting up an Asian Champions League semi-final for the Reds against South Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors.
BG Pathum were playing in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in front of Urawa’s adoring fans in Saitama, Japan.
The Urawa Reds took the lead in the 32nd minute thanks to a goal from Swedish forward David Moberg Karlsson. A few minutes later, Takuya Iwanami scored to make it 2-0.
During the second half, it was more of the same as Pathum fell apart even more. Urawa’s Yoshio Koizumi scored into the bottom corner and the Reds’ Takahiro Akimoto hit a fourth with a powerful effort into the top corner for a final score of 4-0.
Like Jeonbuk Motors, the Urawa Reds are chasing a hat-trick of Champions League titles, having won the top club competition in 2007 and 2017.
Jeonbuk and Urawa will face off on Thursday in the Champions League semi-finals
In the earlier quarter-final, again in Saitama, Japan Jeonbuk Motors scored twice in extra time in a 3-1 win over Japan’s Vissel Kobe.
The South Koreans took the lead in the 104th minute through Brazilian substitute Gustavo, and Moon Seon-min added gloss to the scoreline at the end.
Vissel Kobe was missing Spanish football legend Andres Iniesta. They made seven substitutions to the side that stunned fellow Japanese outfit Yokohama F Marinos.
Despite the few fans in attendance, the J-League strugglers outplayed K-League rival Jeonbuk in the first half.
A mistake by Jeonbuk goalkeeper Lee Bum-soo led to Kobe’s 64th minute lead as substitute Koya Yuruki headed home a cross from close range.
Kobe’s lead lasted for two minutes. Mo Barrow, a Gambian forward for Jeonbuk, raced up the other end and slotted the ball between Daiya Maekawa’s legs after the Kobe defence failed to defend.
Jeonbuk Motors, continental Champions League leaders in 2006 and 2016, now made the most clear-cut chances, with former Leeds and Swansea man Barrow a constant threat.
In extra time, Barrow’s cross allowed Gustavo to climb highest at the back post and ram home to make it 2-1, and Moon made sure of the victory in the 122nd minute.
