
Timbe's trophy dream dashed as Vissel Kobe fall to Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan's Levain Cup
Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 13.06.21. | 14:17
Kenyan winger was handed minutes as Kobe were eliminated from the Levain Cup.
Fleet footed Kenyan winger Ayub Timbe and his Japanese club Vissel Kobe suffered heartache after they were eliminated from the Levain Cup at the Round of 16 hurdle following a 2-2 draw (4-3 aggregate) against Urawa Red Diamonds on Sunday.
Timbe started from the bench in the clash but was handed the final 19 minutes of the game at a time when Kobe was chasing the game after a 1-2 loss in the first leg.
Urawa Red Diamonds made their advantage in the opening exchanges of the game count in the 16th minute when Yoshio Koizumi broke the deadlock after Kasper Junker put the ball on a plate for him.
Before the dust could settle on Diamonds’ lead, new Brazilian signing Douglas restored parity for Kobe and bagged his second consecutive goal after netting a goal in the 1-1 draw against Sagan Tosu.
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— ヴィッセル神戸 (@visselkobe) June 13, 2021
URAWA REDS 2‐2 VISSEL KOBE#visselkobe #ヴィッセル神戸 #ルヴァンカップ pic.twitter.com/mFRijOgHGf
Kasper Junker was a constant thorn in the Kobe flesh as he got his name on the scoresheet in the third minute of first-half added time to ensure his side went into the break with a lead.
Ayub Timbe was given the nod in the 71st minute by head coach Atsuhiro Miura plotted to find a way back into the game as he rested Ryo Hatsuse.
Former Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta scored his first goal of the season after coming off a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to tearing his rectus femoris muscle back in December 2020.
The midfielder grabbed the goal in the 77th minute to draw Kobe level again but it proved a little too late as Diamonds held on for the draw to proceed.
Kobe will now shift their attention to the Emperor’s Memorial Cup where they next face Suzuka Point Getters on Wednesday 16 June.











