Albania international Jasir Asani delivered a standout performance, netting a hat-trick and assisting another goal as Gwangju FC, making their continental debut, cruised to a 7-3 win over Yokohama F. Marinos at the Gwangju World Cup Stadium on Tuesday in the opening round of the 2024/25 AFC Champions League Elite league stage.
Having represented his country in Euro 2024, Asani’s dominance on the right wing overwhelmed last season’s AFC Champions League runners-up, with Yokohama struggling to contain his relentless attacking play. Gwangju’s scoring barrage also included goals from Oh Hu-seong, Beka Mikeltadze, Lee Hui-gyun, and Gabriel Tigrao. Despite Elber’s two goals for Yokohama, three goals in six second-half minutes sealed their fate.
Gwangju struck early, with Asani opening the scoring less than two minutes into the match. After receiving a pass from Jung Ho-yeon, Asani cut inside and unleashed a left-footed shot from 25 yards, bouncing past debutant goalkeeper Riku Terakado into the net.
The home side doubled their lead after 15 minutes when Jung’s cross found an unmarked Oh Hu-seong, whose header snuck in between the goalkeeper and the post.
Yokohama struggled for much of the first half but managed to pull one back with 11 minutes remaining before the break. Hijiri Kato’s header dropped perfectly for Elber, who fired a right-footed shot that clipped the post on its way past Kim Kyeong-min.
Asani struck again 10 minutes into the second half, cutting inside once more and curling a superb shot beyond the reach of Terakada. Elber responded quickly for Yokohama, latching onto a deflection off Jun Amano to blast home his second goal, narrowing the gap to 3-2.
However, Asani shifted to playmaker in the 69th minute, setting up former Newcastle Jets man Mikeltadze to fire home Gwangju’s fourth goal. Just three minutes later, Lee Hui-gyun finished a swift counterattack, putting the result beyond doubt.
Gabriel Tigrao added Gwangju’s sixth with a close-range header, as John Hutchinson’s Marinos side crumbled. Their woes were compounded when Carlos Eduardo was sent off for a late foul on his fellow Brazilian Gabriel. Although Takuma Nishimura scored a stunning long-range goal with five minutes remaining, it was little more than a consolation.
Asani completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, lofting the ball over Terakada to cap off a remarkable individual display and a dominant Gwangju victory – ensuring that the debutants would have a night that they won’t forget.