The AFC Champions League Elite East Region opener between Melbourne City FC and Sanfrecce Hiroshima is heating up at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. With the match underway since 07:45 UTC (17:45 local), visitors Sanfrecce Hiroshima have snatched a slender 1-0 lead due to a clinical penalty from Marcos Junior in the 52nd minute.<\/p>\n
The first 45 minutes delivered end-to-end action but no breakthroughs, ending 0-0 at the break. Melbourne City, under Aurelio Vidmar, controlled patches with their high-energy pressing, registering five shots to Hiroshima\u2019s three while ceding 58% possession to the Japanese side\u2019s patient build-up. Key moments included a curling effort from City\u2019s Jes\u00fas Macarena that forced a smart save from Hiroshima keeper Osaki Takuma, and a probing run by Shuto Nakajima that tested Jamie Young\u2019s resolve in the home goal.<\/p>\n
Just seven minutes after the restart, the deadlock shattered. A VAR-reviewed challenge in the City box\u2014 involving Curtis Good tangling with Ryotaro Meshino\u2014prompted referee Alireza Faghani to award a penalty at the 51st minute mark. Up stepped Marcos Junior, the 33-year-old Brazilian talisman, who coolly converted low to Young\u2019s right for his third goal of the season.<\/p>\n
The strike sent Hiroshima\u2019s traveling fans into ecstasy, giving the J1 League contenders a vital away advantage. City, stung by the concession, immediately ramped up the tempo, but Skibbe\u2019s back three held firm, nearly extending the lead through a Nakajima breakaway in the 65th.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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