Robert Cornthwaite has helped Adelaide Utd create A-League history, edging past Japanese champions Kashima Antlers in the second leg of their quarter final 1-0. This is the first A league team to make it to the semifinals of the AFC champions league, where they will face Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan on October 8 and 22.
The first leg of the tie was played in Japan, a match that was a lucky draw for the home team. Leading by one goal to nil Cornthwaite clumsily slammed home an own goal close to the end of play. The second game was seemingly all Adelaide's, after sqandering several tap ins they finally found a goal through Cornthwaite's diving header meeting a crisp cross in the 73rd minute.
Happy to be on the right side of the scorers margin, Cornthwaite was relieved and ecstatic after the ignominy of his Japan performance.
“It’s something I’ll remember for a long time,” the rangy full back said.
“It was like scripted for me after what happened in the first leg.
“Scoring an own goal in Japan was disappointing and to come home to Adelaide where I’m from in front of friends and family and put us through to the semis was an amazing feeling.
“As right full-back part of my job is to get forward whenever I can.
“Just before the goal I went forward in search of the ball to put in a cross.
“But the ball went to the other side of the ground and there was no one up there.
“So I thought I needed to get myself into the box. Jason Spagnuolo made a great run to the front post and the cross went over the top of him but luckily for me I got in front of the defender and the keeper could not hold on to the ball and it went in.”
“It was like scripted for me after what happened in the first leg.
“Scoring an own goal in Japan was disappointing and to come home to Adelaide where I’m from in front of friends and family and put us through to the semis was an amazing feeling.
“As right full-back part of my job is to get forward whenever I can.
“Just before the goal I went forward in search of the ball to put in a cross.
“But the ball went to the other side of the ground and there was no one up there.
“So I thought I needed to get myself into the box. Jason Spagnuolo made a great run to the front post and the cross went over the top of him but luckily for me I got in front of the defender and the keeper could not hold on to the ball and it went in.”
4 comments:
Beating a Japanese club in the Quarters to get into the Semi Finals of the Asian Champions League is really a watershed moment for Aussie Football/soccer. A good sign for Australia as they gear up to qualify for South Africa 2010.
agreed.
The Socceroos recently have not chocked under expectation since that Asain Championship.
Now neither is Australias Depth since that shocking game against China. And to a lesser extent that Olympics campaign.
Lets hope the trends continue and we'll see Australia pulling off their big world up sets and putting all of asia away when given the chance.
I reckon socceroos end up beating Italy by the end of 2010, I reckon just some randoms in the street would have the determination to.
The Antlers are as good as teams get in Asia too, check out what I got off their wiki page:
Kashima Antlers (鹿島アントラーズ, Kashima Antorāzu?) is a professional football team playing in the Japanese J. League. Antlers is derived from the city name, Kashima, which literally means "deer island".
Since the J-League's creation in 1993, Kashima have proved by far Japan's most successful club team, having won the league title five times, the J. League Cup three times and the Emperor's Cup three times. Indeed, Antlers have finished in the top five of J1 for over 70% of all seasons played to date. By clinching the 2007 J. League title they became the first team in Japan to have won 10 domestic titles, and later the same year they completed their second league and cup double after claiming the Emperor's Cup title. Antlers are also one of only six teams to have competed in Japan's top flight of football every year since its inception.
i think i'll go alter that wiki page and the adelaide united fc one...
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