Wataru Kitahara’s dramatic winner
in the last minute of extra-time saw Nagoya Oceans became the first ever
two-time winners of the AFC Futsal Club Championship after a 5-4 win
over defending champions Chonburi Bluewave in Saturday’s final following
a 4-4 deadlock in regulation time at Shuangliu Sports Centre.
Having memorably won the 2011 edition, Nagoya emphatically crowned their return to the tournament’s finale after consecutive third-place finishes in 2012 and 2013. But the Japanese team were made to earn the right to Asia’s premiere futsal title in a rollercoaster tie that saw the lead change hands on multiple occasions.
Goals from Jirawat Sornwichian and Rudimar Venancio sandwiched Kitahara’s first of the night as the Thai side went into the interval 2-1 up.
But after Hidekazu Shirakata and Kaoru Morioko had flipped the score around Sarawut Jaipech twice pulled the Thai side level after Morioko netted a brace to see the sides tied at 4-4. And then it was all about Kitahara’s next contribution as he ended Chonburi’s dreams of back-to-back titles deep into extra time.
A tightly-fought opening period was mainly punctuated by tough tackling as the two sides battled to dictate the flow of the game early on, and although chances were at premium.
But with eight minutes played the holders broke the deadlock. Kritsada Wongkaeo picked up a loose Nagoya pass before surging up the pitch and playing in Suphawut Thueanklang on the left. The 2013 MVP checked inside and slid a pass across the area to a waiting Jirawat who buried the ball past Shinoda.
Nagoya were back level four minutes later, though, as Kitahara anticipated an opportunity in the area and slid on to Shirakata’s driven cross to bundle the ball past Mehr.
However, the Japanese club were on level terms for less than a minute as Kritsada took advantage of Yoshio Sakai’s hesitancy to again steal back possession before laying on a pass for Venancio to steer an angled shot into the bottom corner.
Chonburi’s physical style meant they were living dangerously, though, and Suphawut committed their sixth infringement to concede a penalty, although, to his relief, he saw Morioka put the resulting spot-kick wide as the score remained 2-1 at the half-time break.
Nagoya needed just under two minutes of the re-start to restore parity, however, as Shirakata surprised Mehr with an early shot from the right flank that beat the Iranian at his near post.
Having memorably won the 2011 edition, Nagoya emphatically crowned their return to the tournament’s finale after consecutive third-place finishes in 2012 and 2013. But the Japanese team were made to earn the right to Asia’s premiere futsal title in a rollercoaster tie that saw the lead change hands on multiple occasions.
Goals from Jirawat Sornwichian and Rudimar Venancio sandwiched Kitahara’s first of the night as the Thai side went into the interval 2-1 up.
But after Hidekazu Shirakata and Kaoru Morioko had flipped the score around Sarawut Jaipech twice pulled the Thai side level after Morioko netted a brace to see the sides tied at 4-4. And then it was all about Kitahara’s next contribution as he ended Chonburi’s dreams of back-to-back titles deep into extra time.
A tightly-fought opening period was mainly punctuated by tough tackling as the two sides battled to dictate the flow of the game early on, and although chances were at premium.
But with eight minutes played the holders broke the deadlock. Kritsada Wongkaeo picked up a loose Nagoya pass before surging up the pitch and playing in Suphawut Thueanklang on the left. The 2013 MVP checked inside and slid a pass across the area to a waiting Jirawat who buried the ball past Shinoda.
Nagoya were back level four minutes later, though, as Kitahara anticipated an opportunity in the area and slid on to Shirakata’s driven cross to bundle the ball past Mehr.
However, the Japanese club were on level terms for less than a minute as Kritsada took advantage of Yoshio Sakai’s hesitancy to again steal back possession before laying on a pass for Venancio to steer an angled shot into the bottom corner.
Chonburi’s physical style meant they were living dangerously, though, and Suphawut committed their sixth infringement to concede a penalty, although, to his relief, he saw Morioka put the resulting spot-kick wide as the score remained 2-1 at the half-time break.
Nagoya needed just under two minutes of the re-start to restore parity, however, as Shirakata surprised Mehr with an early shot from the right flank that beat the Iranian at his near post.
The
Japanese champions continued to remain on top in the second period and
they completed the turnaround after seven minutes of the half had been
played with Morioka latching onto a long ball from captain Tomoki
Yoshikawa and finishing convincingly.
The back-and-forth nature of the contest continued as Chonburi levelled with eight minutes to go as Nattavut Madyalan’s ball into the penalty area ricocheted off Apiwat into the path of Sarawut who stabbed home.
But the parity lasted just a minute as the bleach blonde-haired Morioko had his second and Nagoya’s fourth as he beat Mehr from close range.
With the clock ticking down, Chonburi went to the powerplay and it paid off in the most dramatic fashion possible as fifth outfielder Venancio’s pass was rammed into the goal by Sarawut with just 30 seconds remaining to take the game to extra-time.
The back-and-forth nature of the contest continued as Chonburi levelled with eight minutes to go as Nattavut Madyalan’s ball into the penalty area ricocheted off Apiwat into the path of Sarawut who stabbed home.
But the parity lasted just a minute as the bleach blonde-haired Morioko had his second and Nagoya’s fourth as he beat Mehr from close range.
With the clock ticking down, Chonburi went to the powerplay and it paid off in the most dramatic fashion possible as fifth outfielder Venancio’s pass was rammed into the goal by Sarawut with just 30 seconds remaining to take the game to extra-time.
It seemed as if neither team would make use of the additional ten minutes of time, until a minute from the end Morioko found Watanabe and his ball from left to right was turned in by Kitahara at the back post to give Nagoya a historic victory.
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