Johor Darul Ta’zim secured their AFC Champions League Elite knockout place with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Japan’s Vissel Kobe at home.

JOHOR Darul Ta’zim secured their place in the AFC Champions League Elite round of 16 with a tense 1-0 victory over Japan’s Vissel Kobe at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.

The Southern Tigers started aggressively, testing goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda with a Bergson Da Silva long-range effort in just the second minute.

JDT continued to press and Antonio Cristian Glauder was denied by Gonda again in the 13th minute after latching onto a Bergson pass.

The visitors responded with Jean Patric Reis forcing a save from JDT keeper Andoni Zubiaurre Dorronsoro in the 20th minute.

Mitsuki Hidaka then fired a close-range effort wide for Vissel Kobe a minute later.

JDT thought they had taken the lead in the 39th minute through Nene, but his goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

The home side suffered the same fate after halftime when Marcos Guilherme’s 55th-minute effort was also disallowed for offside.

Vissel Kobe came close to scoring in the 71st minute as Kento Hamasaki’s shot struck the post.

JDT finally found the breakthrough just two minutes later through Guilherme, who drilled a low shot past Gonda.

Both teams created further chances but the 1-0 scoreline held until the final whistle.

The victory, JDT’s third in the group stage, lifted Xisco Munoz’s side to sixth place overall with 11 points.

 The Sun Malaysia