Kashima Antlers will play in the AFC Champions League Qualifying Play-off, after Vissel Kobe won the 2020 Emperor’s Cup on Sunday afternoon.
An own goal by Kashima’s Tomoya Inukai and a 38th minute strike by Noriaki Fujimoto was enough to get Vissel Kobe over the line.
Should Melbourne Victory win its Preliminary Round 2 qualifying match against either Tampines Rovers or Bali United on January 21, it will travel to face Kashima.
The winner of the Qualifying Play-off in Japan will enter Group E, alongside China’s Beijing FC and Thailand’s Chaingrai United.
The fourth Group Stage spot will be decided by another Qualifying Play-off between South Korea’s FC Seoul and either Kedah from Malaysia or Tai Po from Hong Kong.
