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Melbourne Victory’s Asian Champions League ambitions go on the line on Tuesday night when Keisuke Honda and Co. take on Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Japan.
Honda will receive a rapturous welcome back to his homeland, having not played a club match in Japan for 12 years.
And the blond-locked midfielder will need to be near his best if Kevin Muscat’s side are to kickstart their continental campaign.
Victory were first-up losers last week to South Korea’s Daegu FC, and a second loss could see their hopes of getting though reduced to a mere mathematical possibility.
Given Victory have never won an away match in the competition in seven editions, history is not on their side.
But goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas said the memory of last season’s A-League championship reminded the team of what was possible.
“No team ever won the grand final from fourth,” he said.
“We might as well break something else, break another record.”
Honda has been mobbed by local fans since arriving in Japan on the weekend.
“That blond hair gets spotted. He gets swarmed,” Thomas said.
“He’s a huge player and a massive part of Asian football. A lot of people are excited he’s back. We’re expecting a big turnout.”
Sanfrecce finished second in the J.League last season and counts Besart Berisha on their books, but the Victory legend won’t be playing as he failed to make their Asian Champions League squad.
Competition regulations allow just four foreigners to play for each side; the same restriction that led Victory to axe Georg Niedermeier from their list.
Sanfrecce were also losers on matchday one, fielding a reserve-strength side in a 2-0 away loss to Guangzhou Evergrande of China.
Muscat wasn’t too downbeat after Victory’s 3-1 loss to Daegu, declaring it just one match of six, and pledging to “roll our sleeves up and have a go” against Sanfrecce.
Thomas said after a five-match winless run, there was no time like the present to get back to winning ways.
“On Tuesday night we’ll turn up with a real confidence and aggression and belief we can get the job done,” he said.
“Be strong for each other, be aggressive … really have each others back. We can put up a big fight.”
© AAP
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