JEONJU, South Korea, September 16, 2026: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors recovered from a halftime deficit to beat Kashiwa Reysol 2-1 before Vissel Kobe completed a successful night on the road with a 2-1 victory over Port FC, bringing the opening round of the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 to a close.
The two results added another six goals to a competition that had already produced an extraordinary opening. Matchday 1 finished with 55 goals across 16 matches, including 36 in the East region, after the first 14 games had produced 49 goals.
Jeonbuk needed a second-half response after Kenshin Yuba put Kashiwa ahead in the 30th minute. Tiago Orobó equalized three minutes after the restart before substitute Italo completed the comeback in the 69th. In Thailand, Vissel Kobe survived Port FC’s equalizer late in the first half before Yoshinori Muto restored the Japanese side’s advantage in the 61st minute.
The results complete the first evidence from the expanded league stage. As explained in The Sports Encounter’s AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 draw analysis, 32 clubs are split between 16-team East and West regions, with the top eight from each side advancing to the Round of 16.
AFC Champions League Elite: September 16 Results
| Match | Result | Key scorers |
|---|---|---|
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors vs Kashiwa Reysol | 2-1 | Tiago Orobó 48′, Italo 69′ | Kenshin Yuba 30′ |
| Port FC vs Vissel Kobe | 1-2 | Komatsu own goal 45+4′ | Ren Komatsu 10′, Yoshinori Muto 61′ |
The Asian Football Confederation had identified both fixtures as important early tests for clubs trying to establish themselves inside a much larger league-stage field. The AFC’s Jeonbuk-Kashiwa preview highlighted the value of avoiding an early mistake, while the Port-Vissel preview placed particular pressure on Port in only their second appearance at this level.
Kashiwa Make Jeonbuk Chase the Game
Kashiwa enjoyed the stronger opening period in Jeonju and eventually converted it into a lead.
Yuba broke the deadlock in the 30th minute with an individual finish that gave the Japanese visitors a 1-0 advantage at halftime. Jeonbuk had created moments of their own, including an opportunity for Tiago after a loose Kashiwa back pass, but they entered the interval needing to change the direction of the contest.
The response arrived almost immediately.
Kim Tae-hwan supplied the delivery in the 48th minute and Tiago converted to bring Jeonbuk level. The goal altered the rhythm because Kashiwa could no longer manage a lead while waiting for opportunities to counter.
The Japanese side thought they had restored their advantage through Yusuke Segawa around the hour mark, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside following VAR intervention.
That became the match’s critical swing.
Italo Makes His Substitution Count
Jeonbuk introduced Italo as they searched for a second goal, and the move paid off in the 69th minute.
Lee Yeong-jae provided the assist as Italo finished to complete a 2-1 comeback. Jeonbuk then protected the advantage through the closing stages and opened their league-stage campaign with three points.
The result carries additional historical weight because Jeonbuk and Kashiwa have met in Asian competition before. Their latest meeting arrived in a very different tournament structure, however. Every club now has a larger league-stage schedule and only eight positions per region remain available after the opening phase.
That makes a home victory especially useful. Jeonbuk have immediately avoided the pressure that follows an opening defeat, while Kashiwa leave South Korea knowing their performance contained enough competitive periods to suggest the result was recoverable.
Vissel Kobe Control the Chances in Thailand
The second match produced another 2-1 scoreline, although the route was different.
Vissel Kobe created the greater attacking volume at Thammasat Stadium and went ahead after only 10 minutes. Issei Takahashi helped create the opening for Ren Komatsu, who finished from close range to give the visitors the early advantage.
Port struggled to generate the same number of opportunities but stayed within reach of the match. Their reward came in first-half stoppage time when Komatsu, having scored at the correct end earlier, put the ball into his own net to make it 1-1.
The equalizer could have changed Vissel’s confidence after a first half in which they had generated substantially more attacking pressure. Instead, Michael Skibbe’s side changed personnel and regained control.
Yuya Osako and Yoshinori Muto were introduced around halftime. Both became involved in the winning goal.
Muto and Osako Turn the Bench Into Vissel’s Difference
Muto struck in the 61st minute after receiving the decisive pass from Osako, restoring Vissel’s lead and giving the visitors a reward that better reflected the balance of chances.
The J.League’s official match listing confirms the Thammasat Stadium fixture as Vissel’s opening East league-stage assignment.
Vissel had 22 attempts compared with Port’s seven and put eight on target. Port goalkeeper Michael Falkesgaard therefore remained busy even after his team had drawn level.
Port continued searching for another equalizer, but the Japanese visitors managed the closing period successfully and left Thailand with three points.
AFC Champions League East Results After Matchday 1
| Fixture | Result |
|---|---|
| Kashima Antlers vs Newcastle Jets | 7-1 |
| Daejeon Hana Citizen vs Kyoto Sanga | 1-0 |
| Gamba Osaka vs Cong An Ha Noi | 4-1 |
| Ratchaburi vs Shanghai Port | 4-6 |
| Johor Darul Ta’zim vs Buriram United | 1-1 |
| Beijing FC vs Pohang Steelers | 3-1 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors vs Kashiwa Reysol | 2-1 |
| Port FC vs Vissel Kobe | 1-2 |
The East region therefore produced 36 goals from eight matches. Six had a winner, while Johor Darul Ta’zim and Buriram United supplied the only draw.
Japan’s representatives produced a mixed opening. Kashima overwhelmed Newcastle 7-1, Gamba Osaka beat Cong An Ha Noi 4-1 and Vissel won in Thailand, while Kyoto Sanga and Kashiwa Reysol suffered narrow away defeats.
Korea’s clubs also finished with contrasting results. Daejeon opened with a 1-0 victory over Kyoto, Jeonbuk recovered to defeat Kashiwa, while Pohang Steelers lost 3-1 at Beijing.
Matchday 1 Finishes With 55 Goals
The final two East fixtures complete a remarkable first round.
Across both regions, 16 matches produced 55 goals, 13 victories and three draws. The explosive numbers build on the pattern already examined in The Sports Encounter’s full opening Matchday 1 review, where Al Ain’s 4-0 defeat of Al Nassr, Kashima’s seven-goal performance and Shanghai Port’s 6-4 win at Ratchaburi stood out.
The West supplied its own early warning about how little reputation guarantees. Defending champions Al Ahli required a stoppage-time goal from Feras Al-Brikan to earn a point against Pakhtakor, a match The Sports Encounter examined in its analysis of Al Ahli’s difficult start to their three-peat attempt.
UAE clubs also entered the competition carrying strong domestic storylines. Al Ain’s continental statement followed the form that had already seen the champions open their league title defense with four consecutive victories, while Shabab Al Ahli arrived after dropping domestic points against Dubai United.
Saudi Arabia’s leading clubs face similar scheduling demands. Al Hilal entered Asia after responding to their first league defeat with a 6-0 win over Al Taawoun, showing how domestic momentum and continental performance are already beginning to overlap.
The Expanded Format Gives Early Points More Value
One result cannot define a league-stage campaign, particularly when each region contains 16 teams. It can still change the pressure attached to the next assignment.
Jeonbuk and Vissel now carry three points into Matchday 2. Kashiwa and Port begin the next round needing a response rather than having the freedom of an unbeaten start.
The wider structure also means clubs are being compared across an entire regional table rather than within small four-team groups. Goal difference, away wins and the ability to recover after poor periods can therefore become important well before qualification positions are settled.
The expansion fits a broader period of change in Asian club football. The Sports Encounter’s Gulf Champions League analysis has also tracked how regional competitions are expanding and creating more direct comparisons between clubs from different domestic systems.
For Jeonbuk, the first lesson was about response. They trailed, survived Kashiwa’s attempt to regain the lead and found a winner through a substitute.
For Vissel Kobe, the lesson was different. They controlled more of the attacking play, absorbed the frustration of an own goal and turned their bench into the difference after halftime.
Both leave Matchday 1 with three points. In a 16-team regional race where only half of the field survives, that is the start they wanted.
Follow The Sports Encounter’s Soccer coverage for AFC Champions League results, match reports, league analysis and the major stories shaping football across Asia and the wider global game.