Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3-6-1
GK Nishikawa
DF Shiotani Mizumoto Hwang
MF Aoyama Takahagi Yamagishi Ishikawa Morisaki Morisaki
FW Sato

Newly-crowned first-time J.League Champions came from an early goal down to beat AFC Champions league winners Ulsan Hyundai 3-2 in the FIFA Club World Cup 2012 5th place play-off yesterday, in Toyota Stadium.

Hiroki Mizumoto put through his own goal in the 17th minute when goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa came off his line, but didn’t communicate well enough with his centre back and Mizumoto’s back pass trickled over the line to give the Korean team the lead.

Ulsan, featuring the ex-Gamba triumvirate of Lee Keun Ho, Rafinha and Kim Seung Yong, pushed hard for another goal but Sanfrecce held them at bay and the equaliser came in the 35th minute as Hisato Sato glanced a header on from a Koji Morisaki free kick. The keeper got to the ball but it fell kindly for the in-rushing Satoru Yamaguishi to blast over the line from inches out as the despairing Kim Young Kwang tried to keep the ball out.

It was Yamagishi again who made the difference in the 56th minute as Sato got on the end of a left wing inswinger from the influential Sanfrecce midfielder. Sato hardly touched the ball as it swung in and his miskick (or, debatably, not even a touch?!) fooled the keeper and the ball sneaked in at the far post to give Sanfrecce the lead.

By the time the 3rd goal came, Sanfrecce had been running the match and the goal had been only a matter of time, although there was an element of luck about it in the end, as the pass found Takahagi, who regained control of the ball after the defender’s challenge, and slipped it sideways to Sato, who made no mistake.

Ulsan made pulled the deficit back to a single goal with the last kick of the game, a Yong Lee free kick from the left finding its way through everyone and in at the far post.

Sato said after the game, “We didn’t make the semi-final, but I’m happy we managed to win this game in front of Japanese fans and showed the Sanfrecce style of football to the world. This will give us confidence and experience for our ACL campaign next season.”

Coach Hajima Moriyasu was satisfied with the finish to his team’s season, “Credit to the players. We were on a tight schedule after ending the J.league season and the players pulled on their energy reserves and gave their all to the end. I’m happy we ended with a win.”

Ulsan Hyundai starting XI:
YK Kim, Y.Lee, Kwak, YS Kim, CG Kim, H.Lee, SY Kim, SK Ko, SW Kim, KH Lee, Rafinha