By Gus Fielding, KYODO NEWS - Aug 23, 2017 - 21:13 | Sports, All

Yu Kobayashi scored twice as Kawasaki Frontale took a significant step towards the last four of the Asian Champions League with a 3-1 home win over J-League rivals Urawa Reds in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie on Wednesday night.

Kobayashi, the two-goal hero in Kawasaki's 4-1 hammering of Reds in the league here last month, opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a well-taken strike and Elsinho grabbed their second early in the second half.

Substitute Yuki Muto pulled one back 14 minutes from time for Reds, but Kobayashi completed his brace with a back-post header to put Frontale in control ahead of the return leg in Saitama on Sept. 13.

Neither team was able to carve out any clear openings in the early stages of a cagey first half played in punishing heat at Todoroki Stadium, but Kobayashi made space for himself and went close with a shot that was deflected wide by Tomoaki Makino in the 23rd minute.

Makino again got a crucial block on another Kobayashi effort moments later before Yuki Abe shot straight at Jung Sung Ryong at the other end.

But Kobayashi got it right at the third time of asking, drilling into the bottom right-hand corner after great work from Kengo Nakamura to cut back from the byline.

Kawasaki nearly doubled their lead four minutes into the second half, Hiroyuki Abe collecting a free kick from Nakamura before drawing a stunning save from Shusaku Nishikawa.

But the home side went 2-0 up when Elsinho clipped in a loose ball after Nishikawa could only parry a shot from Kobayashi into the Brazilian's path.

Urawa clawed their way back into the game though, and Muto sprung the offside trap to slot home after latching onto a long ball from Takuya Aoki.

But Kobayashi had the last word, rising to head home a pinpoint left-wing cross from Akihiro Ienaga.

The winners over the two legs will face Shanghai SIPG or two-time champions Guangzhou Evergrande in the semifinals. Shanghai hammered Guangzhou 4-0 in the first leg of their all-Chinese quarterfinal on Tuesday.

The semis involving either Reds or Frontale, who have never gone beyond the quarterfinal stage, will be played on Sept. 27 and Oct. 18.

Gamba were the last Japanese team to reach the last four before losing to eventual champions Guangzhou 2-1 on aggregate in 2015. No Japanese team has won the ACL title since Gamba in 2008.