Late Hernandez double earns Incheon victory over Yokohama F Marinos
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Late Hernandez double earns Incheon victory over Yokohama F Marinos
(Reuters) - Brazilian striker Hernandez scored twice in four minutes as the second half substitute earned South Korea's Incheon United a 4-2 win over J League champions Yokohama F Marinos in their Group G opener in the Asian Champions League on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old, on loan from Brazilian club Gremio, was the difference between the teams at the end of a frantic game that saw Incheon twice take the lead in the first 45 minutes, only to be pegged back by Kevin Muscat's home side.
Marinos goalkeeper Jun Ichimori deflected the ball over his own line to put Incheon in front in the eighth minute but Takuma Nishimura levelled the scores soon after when he directed Kaina Yoshio's corner past Kim Dong-heon.
Gerso struck eight minutes before the interval to put Incheon back in front but Ryo Miyaichi levelled with a glanced header from another Yoshio corner with two minutes left in the half.
Hernandez's introduction just after the hour mark reignited the game, the forward hitting the post midway through the second half before giving his side the lead in the 75th minute with a low strike that slipped under Ichimori's right hand.
He put the result beyond doubt four minutes later as Incheon won in their first-ever appearance in the Asian Champions League.
The Koreans are joined on three points in Group G by Chinese Super League side Shandong Taishan, who laboured to a 3-1 win over Kaya-FC Iloilo from the Philippines with second half goals from Moises, Matheus Pato and Cryzan.
Ulsan Hyundai, meanwhile, took the early initiative in Group I with Martin Adam scoring a hat-trick to earn Hong Myung-bo's South Korean champions a 3-1 win over BG Pathum United from Thailand.
The Hungarian poacher put Ulsan in front from close range in the 28th minute but Ryhan Stewart levelled with four minutes left in the half.
Adam, however, struck twice in five minutes late in the second half to seal victory for the 2020 Asian Champions League winners.
Japan's Kawasaki Frontale also picked up three points in Group I with Toru Oniki's side defeating hosts Johor Darul Ta'zim 1-0 thanks to Marcinho's overhead kick on the stroke of halftime in Malaysia.
