Kashima: Kashima Antlers will compete in the AFC Champions League’s last four for the first time when they take on Suwon Samsung Bluewings at Kashima Soccer Stadium on Wednesday.
The teams twice met in the group stage, sharing a win apiece, before Kashima ousted Shanghai SIPG in the last 16 in what was their first ever knockout stage win and then eased past another Chinese side,Tianjin Quanjian, 5-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
Kashima, up 2-0 from the first leg, was in total control after first-half goals by Serginho and Hiroki Abe. Shoma Doi polished off the win in Macau, where the match was moved because Tianjin was hosting the World Economic Forum.
Suwon won the now defunct Asian Club Championship twice in the early 2000s but have only once before, in 2011, reached the semi-finals.
But having eliminated domestic rivals Ulsan Hyundai in the last 16 and then edged past two-time winners Jeonbuk on penalties in the previous round, they have a chance to advance to the showpiece event for the first time.
They deefated Jeonbuk 4-2 on penalties at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, south of Seoul. The two K League 1 teams entered the penalty shootout after they were tied 3-3 on aggregate and went scoreless in extra time.
