Shanghai Shenhua 0-2 Machida Zelvia Highlights, AFC Champions League Elite: Yuki Soma Sends Japanese Club To Round Of 16

Greetings and welcome, everyone! We are building up to the start of the AFC Champions League Elite, group A game between Shanghai Shenhua FC and Machida Zelvia. Stay with us for live updates.

The match kicks off at 5:45pm IST. The Shanghai Shenhua vs Machida Zelvia, AFC Champions League Elite 2025-26 group A match will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website in India. It will not be telecast on any TV channel in the country.

It will be shown on iQiyi in China and on DAZN Japan in Japan.

It will be Shanghai Shenhua's first-ever professional meeting with Machida Zelvia. The Chinese cub's track record against teams from Japan is poor, however, with their last three matches ending in defeats and also without any goals from them.

In Chengdu, hosts Chengdu Rongcheng face Buriram United in a concurrent group A game of the AFC Champions League Elite. Both teams lie in the lower half of the group standings — Buriram are seventh and Chengdu 10th — and thus need to win tonight to realistically stay in the race for round of 16 qualification.

This is how Shanghai Shenhua and Machida Zelvia line up tonight:

What a dramatic start this is to the match! Seconds after kick-off, Shanghai Shenhua concede a penalty with Jin Shunkai committing a foul on Shota Fujio in the box, and Yuki Soma converts clinically from the spot to put Machida Zelvia ahead in the third minute.

In the preceding Group A fixtures, Vissel Kobe have sealed a comfortable 2-0 win over FC Seoul at the Misaki Park Stadium that keeps them top of the group. And in Hiroshima, Sanfrecce Hiroshima ride Akito Suzuki's brace to down 10-man Johor Darul Ta’zim 2-1 in a comeback win.

Shanghai have been trying to retaliate after suffering the early penalty setback, but they have been warded off the Machida defence so far. Interesting passage of play in the closing minutes of the first half.

Yuki Soma's third-minute penalty differentiates Shanghai Shenhua and Machida Zelvia at the end of the first half. Remember that Shanghai crash out of knockouts reckoning if they lose tonight, while Machida Zelvia would seal their round of 16 berth with a win.

The players are back from the lemon break and the the second half gets underway. Shanghai Shenhua kicking from right to left now and Machida Zelvia the other way.

Shanghai Shenhua make their first substitution of the evening, with Gao Tianyi replacing Li Ke in the 66th minute. Machida Zelvia follow suit in the 73rd minute, with Tete Yengi coming in for Shota Fujio.

Yuki Soma with his second in the 88th minute, and that's the match! The Japanese winger is allowed to get into a dangerous position in the box, and he unleashes a sharp left-footer that nestles into the top left corner. Machida Zelvia are on their way to the round of the 16 with the imminent win.

There comes the final whistle after two minutes of added time, and Machida Zelvia ease to a dominant 2-0 win and the next round. It's curtains for Shanghai Shenhua, meanwhile, as they crash out of knockouts contention with one group game still to go.