BURI RAM: Cerezo Osaka proved too strong for Thai League 1 side Port as they cruised to a 3-0 win in their 2021 AFC Champions League Group J match on Saturday.
The Japanese giants had goals from Yosuke Maruhashi, Yoshito Okubo and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto.
Levir Culpi's side bounced back from a 1-1 draw with the Thai side on Wednesday to pick up their third win of the group phase and move on to 10 points from their first four games and continue to lead the standings.
Culpi brought back Hiroshi Kiyotake, Tiago Pagnussat and Riki Harakawa in the starting line-up and the move paid off.
John Baggio put the ball in the net for Port in the third minute, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.
Cerezo took lead on 12 minutes through Maruhashi, who converted Kiyotake's bisecting cross.
The Japanese club doubled their advantage shortly before half-time when Okubo fired home a rebound of his own attempt. Two minutes into the second half, Sakamoto added the third to Cerezo's tally.
On Friday night, Thailand's BG Pathum United scored a 2-0 victory over Vietnam's Viettel that left the Rabbits' coach Aurelio Vidmar praising his team's determination.
Thitiphan Paungchan's goal in the 13th minute was followed by substitute Chaowat Veerachat's strike six minutes from time, helping Pathum United overtake Viettel into second place in Group F with six points. Defending champions Ulsan Hyundai FC lead with nine points.
"Every win is important in football, especially in a competition like this," said Vidmar. "We suffered a lot in the game today but we won and took the three points that has given us a step forward in the group."