AFC Champions League: Lee Man celebrate biggest night with crushing victory over Bali United
- Debutant Mitchel Paulissen shines in 5-star display as Hong Kong side cruise past Indonesian opponents
- Dutchman bags two, while Martins, Everton Camargo and Jose Angel also score to set up play-off against Urawa Red Diamonds
Lee Man delivered a performance worthy of the biggest occasion as they thumped Bali United on Wednesday and booked an Asian Champions League play-off tie with competition heavyweights Urawa Red Diamonds.
Debutant Mitchel Paulissen scored twice, his team’s first and fourth goals, and was far superior to anything in the Indonesians’ midfield. Martins, Everton Camargo and Jose Angel all got in on the fun as the Hong Kong side romped to a 5-1 win.
On this evidence, Paulissen, signed from SC Cambuur and playing his first professional match outside his homeland, is a fabulous addition.
The Dutchman’s eighth-minute opener was cancelled out by Tsui Wang-kit’s own goal three minutes later. But the effervescent Martins quickly restored Lee Man’s lead and Everton Camargo struck with the last meaningful kick of the opening half. Jose Angel completed the rout after 86 minutes.
Martins gave the impression from the outset of a man determined to create a goal for one of Lee Man’s debutants.
The game was barely 30 seconds old when Henrik Anier, the Estonian forward who would exit to a 71st-minute ovation, headed against the bar following Martins’ surging run and cross.
Martins promptly whipped up the crowd with a wave of his arms. And after eight minutes he had the locals off their seats, once more. A feint and change of pace left Bali right-back Novri Setiawan sitting down.
Martins lifted the ball to the back post where it was met on the volley by Paulissen, cushioning his angled finish inside the far post.
The Hong Kong side gifted Bali an equaliser. The visitors’ most dangerous player, Privat Mbarga, swung over a hopeful cross that Wang-kit really should have cleared with his left foot.
But the fullback got in an awful tangle trying to use his favoured right and clumsily steered the ball inside Chan Ka-ho’s left post.
Parity was brief. Paulissen slipped a return pass on the right to Camargo. He motored forwards to square for Martins, who thoroughly enjoyed his facile finish.
Lee Man were the faster, stronger and more resourceful team, despite their opponents’ domestic season being well under way, and continued to create openings, but an occasional defensive vulnerability kept Bali interested.
Most notably, Angel’s under-hit back-pass on 45 minutes ushered in Mbarga for a one-on-one that Chan won to bail out his apologetic teammate.
From potentially being hauled back to 2-2, Lee Man went straight back up the field and extended their lead. Camargo, who worked furiously all night, nudged the ball past Ricky Saputra in the box, creating the time and space to arc a strike over Adilson Maringa and into the corner.
By the time Bali next threatened – Chan resisting a low Eber Bessa drive – the hosts had a three-goal advantage.
Lee Man thought the opportunity had gone when goalkeeper Adilson smothered at Anier’s feet. But the ball came back out and Martins fizzed a pass from the left for Paulissen, whose first-time strike arrowed inside the upright. A number of his teammates placed their hands on their head in disbelief.
Adilson resisted a blistering Martins free-kick but could do nothing to deny centre-back Angel’s late close-range header.
Lee Man were formed in 2017, the same year Urawa won their second Champions League. The teams clash in Saitama next Tuesday. It is an appetising prospect.
