10-Man JDT Faces Ultimate "Final" Against Vissel Kobe

HIROSHIMA, Japan – The dream of an effortless stroll into the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) knockout stages was "frozen" in the Japanese winter last night. In a match defined by a moment of defensive desperation, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, leaving their Round of 16 hopes hanging by a thread.

The Southern Tigers could not have asked for a better start at the Edion Peace Wing Stadium. In the 3rd minute, Marcos Guilherme silenced the home crowd, pouncing on a defensive lapse from the "Purple Archers" to slot the ball home. For 13 glorious minutes, the Malaysian giants looked poised for an upset.

However, the tide turned violently in the 16th minute. In a goal-line scramble, JDT defender Jonathan Silva used his hand to stop a goal-bound effort. The referee had no choice: a straight red card and a penalty for the hosts. Akito Suzuki stepped up and coolly converted, leveling the score and leaving JDT to play over 70 minutes with a man down in sub-zero temperatures.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Xisco Muñoz’s men showed remarkable grit. They held the Japanese side at bay for the remainder of the first half, but the pressure finally told just two minutes after the restart. In the 47th minute, Suzuki turned hero again, nodding home a Naoki Maeda cross to complete his brace and the comeback.

While JDT fought valiantly even introducing Bérgson late in search of a miracle, the final whistle confirmed a result that complicates their continental journey.

With this loss, JDT remains on 8 points, currently sitting in 7th place in the East Region standings. With only the top 8 teams advancing, the margin for error has evaporated. The Southern Tigers return to the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium (SSI) on February 17, 2026, for a monumental clash against group leaders Vissel Kobe.