United City endured another long evening in its 2021 AFC Champions League campaign as it experienced an 8-0 drubbing, this time by Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale, Friday evening at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The result forces United City to remain last in Group I with one point and a goal difference of -13 while Kawasaki Frontale has 9 points in three games.
The three-time Japanese champions immediately stamped their authority on United City in the first half.
Coach Toru Oniki’s men dominated possession and had Kaoru Mitoma’s 34th-minute header and Ryota Oshima’s 42nd minute long-range strike to end the period with a two-goal cushion over the Philippines Football League title holders.
The circumstances got worse for United City after halftime as they found themselves conceding another goal a few minutes after the restart.
Leandro Damiao Santos put his name on the scoresheet when he converted from close range past a frustrated Anthony Pinthus at the 50th minute.
Midfielder Kento Tachibanada then rubbed salt into United City’s wounds with a hattrick when he put the ball into the back of the net at the 56th, 65th, and 70th minutes.
Mitoma then secured his brace at the 82nd minute with a fine finish as substitute Yasuto Wakizaka made it an eight-goal loss for the Filipino side in stoppage time.
United City continues its campaign on Monday, 10:00 PM Manila time, against Kawasaki Frontale.
United City XI: Pinthus (GK), Kane, Maranon, Ott, O Nazari, Schrock ©, Minegishi, Baas, Hartmann, Hwon, A Nazari.
Kawasaki Frontale XI: Jung Sungryong (GK), Jesiel Cardoso Miranda, Shogo Taniguchi ©, Joao Schmidt Urbano, Leandro Damiao Santos, Ryota Ohsmina, Miki Yamane, Kaoru Mitoma, Kento Tachibanada, Akihiro Ienaga, Reo Hatate.
