Preview: Match Day 4 v Kawasaki Frontale

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Melbourne Victory hosts Kawasaki Frontale in a crucial AFC Champions League clash on Tuesday.

Summary

Victory is third in Group F on two points after holding the J1 League champion to a 2-2 draw last time out.

Leroy George scored a 93rd-minute penalty to earn Victory a draw away from home after teenage attacker Christian Theoharous was brought down in the area.

Kyohei Noborizato had earlier put the host ahead for a second time after Besart Berisha cancelled out Elsinho’s opener.

With the top two teams in the group – Shanghai SIPG and Ulsan Hyundai – to meet again, the clash at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium shapes as vital for both Victory and Kawasaki.

MELvKAW

Berisha’s strike in Japan saw him join Kevin Muscat, the club’s head coach, on a record six AFC Champions League goals for Victory.

George and Berisha have scored five of Victory’s six goals in its Asian campaign so far.

Victory will be without captain Carl Valeri, who picked up his second yellow card of the group stage.

While Victory had the weekend off in the Hyundai A-League, Kawasaki returned to league action with a 2-0 win over Gamba Osaka on Saturday.

Player in focus

What they said

“They are a very good team and if you can score in the last minute a penalty to take a point from here, it’s a good result. It was a very important game for us to take a point from this team and at the moment we are happy with the one point. We are in a good way. We won the last A-League games and now we take one point from a good team and I hope we can continue like this.” – Victory star George.

Last time

AFC Champions League 2018 Group F
Kawasaki Frontale 2-2 Melbourne Victory
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium, Kawasaki

Victory twice came from behind to earn a point when the teams met earlier this campaign.

Berisha cancelled out Elsinho’s opener before George converted a late penalty after Noborizato had put the host ahead again.

Head to head

Group stage, 2018: Kawasaki Frontale 2-2 Victory at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium
Group stage, 2010: Victory 1-0 Kawasaki Frontale at Etihad Stadium
Group stage, 2010: Kawasaki Frontale 4-0 Victory at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium

Match details

Melbourne Victory v Kawasaki Frontale
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
Kick-off: 7.30pm local
Live on Fox Sports 503
Tickets available here