AFC Champions League Round of 16
FC Seoul 0 - 1 FT Vissel Kobe
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
11' P. Klimala
M. Thuler 23'
K. Nagato 28'
HT
46' ↓ Y. Al Arab ↑Park Seong-hun
49' H. Babec
Y. Goke 59'
61' ↓ P. Klimala ↑L. Ruiz
61' ↓ H. Babec ↑Hwang Do-Yun
66' L. Ruiz (L. Ruiz)
↓ K. Hamasaki ↑Y. Kuwasaki 68'
↓ Y. Goke ↑Y. Osako 68'
73' ↓ Cho Young-Wook ↑Moon Seon-Min
D. Sasaki 83'
87' ↓ Lee Seung-Mo ↑Cheon Seong-Hoon
↓ R. Komatsu ↑K. Yamada 90'+1
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
FC Seoul
Goalkeepers
Sung-Yun Gu 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Jun Choi 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
33%
Pass Acc
Juan Antonio Ros 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
67%
Duel Win %
Yazan Alarab
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Jin-su Kim 
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
3
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Midfielders
Hrvoje Babec
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
61
Total Mins
61
Entry
Anderson Oliveira
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Seung-mo Lee
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Cho Young Wook
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
73
Total Mins
73
Entry
Min-kyu Song
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Forwards
Patryk Klimala
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
61
Total Mins
61
Entry
BENCH
Hyeon-mu Kang 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Seong-hun Park
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
47
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Soo-il Park
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Han-do Lee
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jae-min Ahn
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Hwang Do-yoon
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
31
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ji-won Kim
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Seung-Won Jeong
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Son Jeong-beom
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Leonardo Ruiz
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
31
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Seon-min Moon
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Seong-Hoon Cheon
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
5
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Vissel Kobe
Goalkeepers
Daiya Maekawa 
PENALTY HERO
1
Pens Saved
1
Pens Saved
2
Saves
7.9
Rating
Defenders
Rikuto Hirose 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Tetsushi Yamakawa
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Thuler 
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
Katsuya Nagato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Yosuke Ideguchi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kento Hamasaki 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
3
Fouls
6.5
Rating
Yuta Goke 
ENFORCER
4
Tackles
4
Tackles
6
Duels Won
75%
Win %
Forwards
Yoshinori Muto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ren Komatsu 
NPC
91
Minutes
91
Minutes
15%
Pass Acc
6.7
Rating
Daiju Sasaki 
MAGNET
53
Activity
53
Activity
30
Passes
23
Duels
BENCH
Shuichi Gonda
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Kaito Yamada
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Caetano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Boniface Nduka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nanasei Iino
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuya Kuwasaki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
24
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kakeru Yamauchi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Haruya Ide
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Takashi Inui
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mitsuki Hidaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuya Osako
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
24
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Niina Tominaga
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/03/2026 | FC Seoul | 0 - 1 | Vissel Kobe | AFC Champions League | Seoul World Cup Stadium |
| 10/02/2026 | Vissel Kobe | 2 - 0 | FC Seoul | AFC Champions League | Noevir Stadium |
04/03/2026
10/02/2026
FC Seoul Win
Vissel Kobe Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Kobe Clinch Crucial Away Win in Seoul
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 48/100. A masterclass in defensive resilience sees Vissel Kobe take a slender but significant advantage back to Japan after silencing the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
The Early Breakthrough
Controlled possession (60%) belonged to FC Seoul, but football is won in the moments that matter, not the minutes on the ball. The Intensity was palpable from the off, with the home side trying to dictate the tempo through short, sharp exchanges. However, Vissel Kobe remained disciplined, absorbing the pressure before striking with clinical precision. In the 23rd minute, the deadlock was shattered when Thuler rose to meet a set-piece, burying his effort to stun the local faithful. Despite the territorial dominance of the hosts, they struggled to turn their passing sequences into genuine threats, often finding themselves crowded out by a compact Japanese defensive unit that refused to buckle under the early weight of expectation.
The Maekawa Wall
The defining moment of this contest arrived mid-way through the second half, a sequence that shifted the Balance of the entire tie. Awarded a golden opportunity to level the scores from the penalty spot, L. Ruiz stepped up in the 66th minute with the weight of the city on his shoulders. The stadium held its breath, but Daiya Maekawa proved to be the hero of the hour. With a stunning display of reflexes and intuition, Maekawa guessed correctly to deny Ruiz, a save that felt as valuable as a goal itself. This missed opportunity drained the energy from the home side, while simultaneously galvanising a Kobe side that sensed they could see this out through sheer grit and tactical awareness.
Defensive Grit and the Road Ahead
As the clock ticked down, the Stakes of this Round of 16 clash became even more apparent. Seoul threw everything forward, but the lack of a cutting edge was their undoing. Daiju Sasaki put in a shift of pure industry for Kobe, ensuring the visitors remained a threat on the counter while never neglecting his defensive duties. Vissel Kobe leave the Seoul World Cup Stadium with the cleanest of sheets and a vital lead. The tie is far from over, but the psychological advantage has firmly shifted to Japan. These two will lock horns again on March 11 at Kobe's home turf, where the hosts will look to finish the job they so professionally started in South Korea.
Key Questions
Was the penalty miss by L. Ruiz the turning point?
Absolutely. Had Ruiz converted in the 66th minute, the momentum would have swung entirely toward Seoul. Instead, Maekawa's save demoralised the hosts.
What made Thuler the standout performer?
Beyond his decisive 23rd-minute goal, his defensive positioning and aerial dominance were critical in neutralising Seoul’s 12 total shots throughout the match.
What does this mean for FC Seoul's season?
Seoul now faces a massive challenge. They must score at least once in Japan on March 11 to keep their continental dreams alive.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Lingard’s Lights vs Kobe’s Collective Might
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 88/100. This is a clash where individual brilliance meets tactical discipline, and with a quarter-final spot on the line, the margin for error is non-existent.
The Setup
The AFC Champions League knockout stage arrives at the Seoul World Cup Stadium with a fascinating dynamic. FC Seoul enters this first leg with a Form rating that suggests inconsistency, but they possess the ultimate wild card. On the other side, Vissel Kobe arrives as the away specialists, having won half of their road games this season. Our take is that the high Balance between these squads makes this a true toss-up, though the visitors hold a slight edge in overall consistency. Remember, this is only the beginning; the tie will be decided in the return leg on March 11.
Key Battle
The spotlight shines directly on Jesse Lingard. He has been the heartbeat of the home side's attack, operating with a level of freedom that most defenses can't contain. To stop him, Kobe will rely on Yosuke Ideguchi. This isn't just a midfield scrap; it is a battle of creative intuition versus disciplined screening. If Ideguchi can neutralize the space between the lines, Seoul's primary source of goals vanishes.
Our Prediction
Expect a high-octane encounter where the Stakes of the Round of 16 force both teams to take risks. Seoul will likely dominate possession early, looking to feed Lingard in dangerous areas. However, Kobe is built for the counter-attack. We expect a 2-2 draw, leaving everything to play for in Japan. Kobe’s clinical edge away from home will neutralize Seoul’s home-field advantage in what should be a highly entertaining spectacle.