Vissel Kobe Secures First-Leg Win in AFC Champions League Last 16

Japanese clubs show strength while Saudi teams face mixed results in the opening matches of the knockout stage.

• Vissel Kobe defeated South Korea's Gwangju FC 2-0, with goals from Yuya Osako and Haruya Ide, taking a strong lead into the second leg.
• Japan's Yokohama F. Marinos also won 1-0 against Shanghai Port, but Kawasaki Frontale suffered a 1-0 loss to Shanghai Shenhua due to an own goal by Kota Takai.
• Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr, without Cristiano Ronaldo, was held to a 0-0 draw by Esteghlal of Iran, while Al-Hilal lost 1-0 to Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan; Al-Ahli secured a 3-1 victory over Qatar's Al-Rayyan.
• The winners of the last 16 matches will advance to the quarterfinals, which will be played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on April 25 and 26.
• The final of the revamped AFC Champions League Elite is scheduled to take place in Jeddah on May 3, following the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.

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