Tuesday night will see the Newcastle Jets back in AFC Champions League Elite action for the first time since 2009 when they face J1 League side Kashima Antlers in Japan.
Mark Milligan’s side kick off their campaign with a tricky trip to Kashima Soccer Stadium where they’ll face the side that won the eastern division of the one-off J1 100 Year Vision League in Japan last season.
The Jets travel to Japan having had limited off-season matches owing to their elimination in the Australia Cup Round of 32 but various pre-season hit-outs means they’ll have minutes in the legs ahead of the game.
Experienced midfielder Max Burgess will officially captain the side for the first time having been appointed skipper on a permanent basis, with Irish defender Joe Shaughnessy named vice-captain.
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New recruits Joe Lolley, Patrick Wood and Zane Schreiber are among those to have travelled to Japan having joined the Jets in the off-season.
Kashima Antlers head into the game sat eighth on the J1 League ladder after a run of three consecutive defeats, an alarming slump considering they won their opening four matches of the season.
However, whilst their domestic form might be somewhat shaky Kashima boast a strong record at home in the ACL Elite having lost just one of their last nine home games in the competition (W7 D1).
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Furthermore, Kashima are also unbeaten in the opening match of their last three ACL Elite appearances.
One player the Jets will have to watch out for in Kashima on Tuesday night will be Brazilian striker Leonardo de Sousa Pereira, who has bagged eight goals in six matches this season in the J1 League.
Following Tuesday night’s clash in Japan the Jets then host fellow Japanese side Gamba Osaka at McDonald Jones Stadium on October 13, before then kicking off their Isuzu UTE A-League campaign on Saturday, October 17 away to Central Coast Mariners.
ACL Elite – Matchday One
Kashima Antlers FC v Newcastle Jets FC
Venue: Kashima Soccer Stadium
Kick-off: Tuesday, 20:00 (AEST)
TV: Paramount+
