Kashima Antlers (0)2
Endo 63, Kanazaki 88
Mamelodi Sundowns 0
Japan – Even though the Brazilians were representing not only the country but the entire continent in the Fifa Club World Cup, they played like a typical South African team in the international arena.
They dominated their opponents, sprayed the ball around with ease but struggled to find the back of the net despite creating numerous goal scoring chances.
That’s why they find themselves having to return from Japan sooner than they thought they would after they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the hosts on Sunday.
This loss turned what should have been a special day for Sundowns into a disappointing one. It was a historic moment as the Brazilians became the first South African club to play in the Club World Cup. Sundowns were also announced as one of five sides nominated in the CAF awards in the Club of the Year category with Pitso Mosimane confirmed to be in the running for the Coach of the Year gong.
The African champions started like they would end the day celebrating more than these nominations but they fizzled out. Antlers were kept in the game by their goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata, with three good saves in the first half.
The best of Sogahata’s saves was parrying Tiyani Mabunda’s rasping shot over the bar. The 37-year-old 'keeper also denied Percy Tau after a surging run past the hosts’ defenders. Sogahata’s strong hands from Thapelo Morena’s shot not only denied him a goal but also fell just behind the on-rushing Leonardo Castro who would have scored with only an open net in front of him. The Colombian forward had plenty motivation to do well. A win for Sundowns would have seen them meet his countrymen, South American champions Atletico Nacional, in the semifinal. Nacional are among the rivals of Milonarios, the club that a young Castro cut his teeth at.
That meeting will not happen even though the Brazilians took the match to the hosts, unfazed by the cold night in Osaka and the local crowd who packed Suita City Stadium. A sprinkling of yellow, from the just over 40 fans the club took to Japan, brought some element of familiarity to Sundowns' players in a venue populated by the red and black of the Japanese champions.
Sundowns troubled Kashima with their pace, especially Tau and Khama Billiat.
But the Japanese passed better than Sundowns with their crisp and direct passes.
Once Antlers woke up in the second half, they had the Brazilians living with their hearts in their mouths because of how often they came close to scoring until Yasushi Endo, with the help of Onyango, put them ahead.
Endo started the hosts' resurgence in the second half with the club’s first shot on target in the match. His shot kissed the roof of the net. Sundowns didn’t heed the warning, that the Antlers were now awake and in charge. The Japanese made Sundowns pay for not making the most of their chances during the Brazilians' period of dominance.
Before Denis Onyango picked out the ball from his own net he was beaten, but thanks for Wayne Arendse’s positioning it amounted to nothing as the defender cleared the ball from the line. A rather tame shot eventually hit the back of Sundowns' net.
The Ugandan goalkeeper saved the initial effort but the momentum, after he had to rush back into his line, got the better of him as he then pushed the ball into his own net. Onyango didn’t do much wrong when Mu Kanazaki sealed the match with a well-taken goal after Sundowns’ defence was stretched all over.
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