Jeonbuk Motors 2–1 Kashiwa Reysol | AFC Champions League Elite | 16 September 2026

Result Summary

Jeonbuk Motors produced a composed and clinical comeback to defeat Kashiwa Reysol 2–1 in their AFC Champions League Elite fixture, overturning an early deficit to claim all three points. Despite being outplayed in terms of possession for large stretches, coach Jung-Yong Chung's side demonstrated remarkable efficiency in front of goal, converting their opportunities when it mattered most.

Match Analysis

Kashiwa Reysol, guided by Ricardo Rodríguez Suárez, set the early tempo and largely dominated the statistical landscape throughout the contest — recording 63% ball possession, 94 total attacks, and six corner kicks compared to Jeonbuk's zero. That territorial dominance yielded the opening goal, as Kenshin Yuba struck with a composed left-foot finish in the 30th minute to give the Japanese side a deserved lead.

However, Jeonbuk's danger was always lurking on the counter. Despite holding just 37% of possession, they generated 68 dangerous attacks — significantly more than Kashiwa's 49 — illustrating a deliberate and effective approach of sitting deep and exploiting space in transition.

The turnaround began almost immediately after the interval. Tiago Pereira da Silva levelled matters in the 48th minute, meeting a delivery from Tae-hwan Kim to nod home a header and restore parity. Kashiwa had made four substitutions by the 52nd minute in an attempt to reassert control, including the introduction of Yusuke Segawa — who would later be the subject of a VAR review in the 60th minute — but the momentum had decisively shifted.

The winning goal arrived in the 69th minute, shortly after substitute Italo de Vargas da Rosa came on for Dong-jun Lee. The Brazilian made an immediate impact, converting a right-foot shot assisted by Yeong-jae Lee to put Jeonbuk ahead. It was a textbook impact substitution from coach Chung, demonstrating sharp tactical awareness in managing his bench.

The final stages brought some tension, with three Jeonbuk players — Young-Bin Kim, Tae-Hyun Kim, and Seung-Woo Lee — all collecting yellow cards in the 87th minute for time wasting and dissent. Despite the late nerves, Jeonbuk held on to secure a memorable victory, finishing with 13 total shots and 3 on target against Kashiwa's 12 shots and 2 on target.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast pointed toward a Kashiwa Reysol victory with a predicted scoreline of 1–2, backed by a 44% probability of an away win and an overall confidence rating of just 51/100. The prediction ultimately proved incorrect. Interestingly, several underlying statistical projections were not entirely off base — Kashiwa did dominate possession and created the higher volume of attacks — but Jeonbuk's dangerous attack count and clinical finishing were underestimated. The low confidence rating reflected genuine uncertainty about this fixture, and that uncertainty was well-founded.

Key Takeaways

• Jeonbuk Motors were ruthlessly efficient, scoring with 3 of their 13 shots while conceding only 2 shots on target from a high-possession Kashiwa side.
• Italo de Vargas da Rosa's substitute impact was decisive — scoring within minutes of his introduction to seal the win.
• Kashiwa's possession dominance (63%) did not translate into goals, highlighting the risks of facing a defensively disciplined side built for counter-attacking football.
• Jeonbuk's zero corners throughout the entire match underscores just how different their approach was — yet it proved entirely sufficient for a vital AFC Champions League Elite victory.