It¡¯s not even February, and a J. League team has been eliminated from the Asian Champions League.
Following Melbourne Victory¡¯s 1-0 win at Kashima Stadium on Tuesday, Kashima Antlers became the first Japanese team ever to bounce out of the continental competition¡¯s playoff stage.
While the 2018 Asian champions played well and were arguably unlucky to give up a goal to former Urawa Reds striker Andrew Nabbout in miserable conditions, it must also be noted that the circumstances of a competitive schedule that has crept earlier and earlier into winter were far from favorable.
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