AFC Champions League: Despite the Saudi teams prevailing, Kawasaki Hasebe set to fly the East Asian flag
Front coach Kawasaki Shigetoshi Hasebe says he is determined to try on East Asian teams can match the power of their rivals with great expense from Saudi Arabia after booking a place in the Asian elite semi -finals of the champions.
J-League dress qualified for the last four of the Continental Championship for the first time Sunday with one win 3-2 extra time Qatar Al Sadd to place an appointment with Cristiano RonaldoS ‘ Al nassr Wednesday.
Kawasaki are the only team of their remaining continent, with Saudi Pro League Duo Al Ahli AND Al Hilal Faced in the next semifinals after winning over Thailand Buriram United AND Gwangju from South Korea, respectively.
“Before our match, three teams from the east side had been lost, so this was the last chance to break that (negative) image and I believed we could win to do it,” Hasebe said.
“It depends on which opponent you play; teams on the west side can beat us, but the eastern teams can also win. It depends on the game.
“Now there is only one club, a force from the East. Only us. I am trying to break back that kind of image in the next match.”
Kawasaki captain Yasuto Wakizaka It scored nine minutes in extra time to see Qatar’s side and take the front in the last four for the first time in the club’s history.
Progress in the semifinals after three quarter-finals marks a significant result for the club coach, who replaced J-League winner Toru Oniki in December.
“This is a new team and of course some people have already left the club, but because of them we could come here,” Hasebe said. “As a new team, we did that. That’s something very significant for the club.”
54-year-old former Avispa fukuoka The coach will now turn his attention to the meeting with a side of Al Nassr containing Ronaldo, Sadio Mane AND Jhon Duran With disadvantageous kawasaki because of a day less to prepare than the Saudi side.
“They are very fast, very capable with big names, but this is this competition,” he told Wednesday’s opponents. “Time is very limited for players, no doubt, but we will prepare for the next match.”