Japanese soccer team, Ventforet Kofu, collided with Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai in the second leg of the round of 16 in the AFC Champions League (ACL) held on February 21. The match was held at the National Stadium in Tokyo, and Kofu’s efforts could be seen throughout all the games.

The game was held as the second match of the Rainbow 16. Although Kofu conceded a goal at 11 minutes in the first half, the players attempted many attacks, but they could not recover, resulting in a score of 1-2, a victory for Ulsan Hyundai.

This defeat meant there was no round 16 advance for Kofu. They had also lost 0-3 in the previous game, resulting in a total score of 1-5, which was a significant defeat.

When their defeat was confirmed, the Kofu players were greeted with enthusiastic applause, and it seemed as if the audience was applauding their struggle. Although the result was a defeat for Kofu, the praise for the Kofu players, who demonstrated perfect performances and played hard, never ceased.

Kofu will likely aim for further strengthening by making use of this experience. Despite the defeat, the players showed a positive attitude after the match, and their motivation for the next match is clear.