JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Tatsuya Ito, Kawasaki Frontale’s fleet-footed forward, stood on the pitch at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on April 30, 2025, staring down Cristiano Ronaldo. The moment felt surreal, like stepping into a video game, he’d later say. But there was nothing virtual about the 3-2 victory his J-League side carved out against Al-Nassr in the Asian Champions League Elite semi-final, punching their ticket to the final against Al-Ahli.
Ito, a 27-year-old former Hamburg player, didn’t just hold his own against the Saudi giants. He stole the show. In the 10th minute, he latched onto a cross, his body twisting mid-air, and rifled a first-time volley past Al-Nassr’s stunned goalkeeper, Bento. The ball screamed into the net, silencing the Jeddah crowd and setting Kawasaki on a path to glory. It was the kind of goal that makes you spill your coffee watching the replay.
Al-Nassr, packed with stars like Ronaldo and Sadio Mané, weren’t about to roll over. They clawed back, equalizing before halftime. But Ito’s speed kept the Saudi defense scrambling. Early in the second half, he darted through, only for Bento to parry his shot. Yuto Ozeki, lurking nearby, pounced on the rebound to restore Kawasaki’s lead. Later, substitute Akihiro Ienaga added a third goal in the 76th minute, a cushion that proved vital when Al-Nassr’s Aiman Yahya unleashed a long-range rocket with three minutes left, making the final moments a heart-pounding scramble.
Kawasaki, underdogs after grinding through extra time against Qatar’s Al-Sadd just days earlier, weren’t supposed to win this. Al-Nassr’s pedigree—bolstered by Ronaldo’s global aura—made them favorites. Yet Ito, unfazed by the bright lights and big names, played with a grit that echoed the J-League’s underdog spirit. His goal and relentless runs turned the semi-final into a statement: Japanese football can hang with the best.
The victory wasn’t just a club triumph. Ito called it a win for the J-League and Japanese football as a whole. Kawasaki now face Al-Ahli in the final on May 3, 2025, with a chance to claim Asia’s biggest club prize. For Ito, the kid who once dreamed of European stardom, this was a night where reality outshone any video game.
The match ended with Kawasaki Frontale defeating Al-Nassr 3-2 on April 30, 2025, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. Tatsuya Ito scored in the 10th minute, Yuto Ozeki in the 53rd, and Akihiro Ienaga in the 76th. Al-Nassr’s goals came from an equalizer before halftime and Aiman Yahya in the 87th minute. Kawasaki advance to the Asian Champions League Elite final against Al-Ahli on May 3, 2025.