Newcastle Jets crash out of Asian Champions league

Newcastle’s Asian Champions League dreams are over after the Jets were beaten 4-1 by Japanese heavyweights Kashima Antlers.

Ronald Vargas celebrates a fortunate goal for Newcastle Jets. Picture: Getty Images

Newcastle’s Asian Champions League dreams are over after the Jet’s were beaten 4-1 by Japanese heavyweights Kashima Antlers in Japan last night.

Hoping to qualify for the main draw of the competition for the first time in 10 years, the Jets could not match the speed, skill and quality of the Antlers, who are defending ACL champions.

Kashima led 2-1 at half time thanks to goals from Sho Ito (18th minute) and Shuto Yamamoto (32nd) with Ronny Vargas scoring for the Jets in the 24th minute. But the Japanese side added another two in the second half with Serginho grabbing both goals.

Neither the half time nor full-time score reflected the Japanese team’s clear superiority.

In the likes of Brazilians Serginho and Silva and the exceptionally talented Hiroki Abe they had players who were a cut above.

It was only some wonderful goalkeeping heroics from Glen Moss that saved Newcastle from an embarrassing scoreline. He pulled off a string of saves in the first half as well as a couple more in the second as the Antlers made fairly comfortable work of their win.

Newcastle coach Ernie Merrick made seven changes to the side that beat Melbourne City 3-1 in an A-League game last Friday with Moss, Nigel Boogaard, Ben Kantarovski, Dimi Petratos, Roy O’Donovan, Ronny Vargas and Daniel Georgievski returning to form the Jets’ strongest line-up..

Early on, Kashima had to be on their toes when O’Donovan tried his luck from long range on 14 minutes to force a superb save from goalkeeper Kwoun Sun-tae.

But the home side soon clicked into gear and after forcing some terrific saves from Moss they eventually took the lead on 18 minutes when Ito tapped home a rebound from close range after Serginho’s clever backheel came off the left post.

The Jets were fortunate to get back on level terms six minutes later when Vargas’s shot from outside the box appeared to be off target before taking a wicked deflection and finding the back of the net.

Moss then made a double save in the 27th and 28th minutes but a cross from the right to the far post found Yamamoto, who sent a powerful header past Moss and restored the Antlers’ lead.

While the Jets did well to contain the home side for much of the second half, they could not prevent Serginho’s brace including one from the penalty spot.