FC Machida Zelvia's Yuki Soma scores a first-half goal against Shabab Al Ahli in the Asian Champions League Elite semifinals on April 21, 2026, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (©KYODO)
Veteran midfielder Yuki Soma's 12th-minute strike lifted FC Machida Zelvia to a 1-0 triumph over Dubai's Shabab Al Ahli in the Asian Champions League Elite semifinals on Tuesday night, April 21.
With the win, Zelvia manager Go Kuroda's squad advanced to the ACL final for the first time.
The J.League squad will face reigning champion Al Ahli Saudi FC on Saturday, April 25. (Kickoff is 1:15 AM JST on Sunday.)
In the first semifinal, Al Ahli Saudi FC defeated Vissel Kobe, another J.League club, 2-1, on Monday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Yoshinori Muto put Vissel in front 1-0 in the 31st minute, but their Saudi Arabian opponent scored two unanswered goals to clinch a berth in the title match.
A day later, Zelvia earned their third consecutive 1-0 win in soccer's Asian Champions League.
Despite holding a 13-5 advantage in shots and an overwhelming edge in possession (69% of the match), Shabab Al Ahli was eliminated.
Since the start of the continental competition in September 2025, Zelvia have compiled an 8-3-1 record to reach the championship fixture.
Soma Returns to the Lineup
Due to an injury, Soma was unable to play in Zelvia's win over Saudi club Al Ittihad in the quarterfinals.
But, recognizing his importance to the team, Kuroda expressed confidence in Soma in the run-up to the semifinal.
"Yesterday the coach told me I'm the ace of Machida and said I would score and I did," Soma told reporters at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
Soma hadn't played since April 5 against J.League foe FC Tokyo.
The 29-year-old's return to the lineup was a significant development for Machida Zelvia. And he pointed out in his postgame remarks that members of the team's medical staff deserve credit for making it happen.
"The quarterfinal [on April 17] came too soon for me and, initially, I didn't think I had a chance [of playing in the semifinal) but the coach wanted me to be here to support the players. When I left Japan, I couldn't even jog but I have been working with the physio every day since arriving in Jeddah.
"There was a chance that I could play. We looked at the quarterfinal but it was too risky. So I asked not to be included, which turned out to be a good decision because I was able to do what I did today."
Perspective from the Machida Zelvia Boss
Naturally, Kuroda was excited that his team reached the final, noting there's a first for everything.
"This is the first time that Machida Zelvia are challenging in Asia and the players are performing really well," Kuroda said, according to the Asian Football Confederation website.
Kuroda became Zelvia manager in 2023, guiding the team to a J.League second-division title later that year. In 2025, Zelvia won the Emperor's Cup.
Commenting on the Asian Champions League semifinal in Jeddah, Kuroda said: "Today's opponents were great to play against and I'm so pleased to reach the final for the fans who came to the stadium as well as those back home."
Kuroda added, "We had intended to play compactly and press in the middle. The players stayed focused till the end and that was great. To keep a clean sheet is our motto and we managed to achieve that, so it gives us confidence."
Did You Know?
The Urawa Reds were the last J.League team to win the Asian Champions League title, achieving the feat in 2022.
RELATED:
Author: Ed Odeven
Follow Ed's [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
