JEDDAH: Cristiano Ronaldo`s Al-Nassr were dumped out of the Asian Champions League Elite as Japan`s Kawasaki Frontale spectacularly ripped up the script with a 3-2 semi-final victory on Wednesday to reach the continental final for the first time.

The big-spending Saudi Pro League team succumbed when Yuto Ozeki and Akihiro Ienaga struck after Sadio Mane`s deflected effort in the 28th minute had cancelled out Tatsuya Ito`s 10th-minute opener for the J-League side.

Aiman Yahya scored from distance with three minutes left for Al-Nassr to set up a tense finish but Frontale held on.

Kawasaki will next face Al-Ahli, another Saudi side boasting a squad packed with high-profile foreign internationals, in the final on Saturday with both clubs looking to win their maiden continental crown.

Kawasaki coach Shigetoshi Hasebe hailed his young players afterthey `stepped up` to reach final.

Hasebe said fatigue after Kawasaki`s 3-2 extra-time win against Qatar`s Al Sadd had led him to turn to the fresh legs of 19-yearold Soma Kanda and Ozeki, 20, who ran their hearts out before being substituted at half-time.

`We went 120 minutes just three days ago so I had to make some tough decisions,` said Hasebe.

`Some players were close to cramping and we had to make changes, but thankfully there were no injuries. That tells me the plan worked well.

`Our two young players stepped up. Their main job was to contain Marcelo Brozovic but they also contributed well going forward,` he added.

Kawasaki made an encouraging start, with Marcinho outmuscling Brozovic to win possession 35 yards from goal before shooting wide.

Four minutes later Hasebe`s men had taken an unexpected lead.Ozeki`s pass to the left found Marcinho and, after the forward`s centre was headed towards the edge of the area by defender Mohamed Simakan, the unmarked Ito who compared lining up beside Ronaldo to being in `a video game` lashed a first-time volley into the top corner tostunthe Saudifans.

Al-Nassr struggled to find their rhythm in the opening stages, a Jhon Duran shot that flew high and wide after he was fed by Ronaldo in the 18th minute was a rare sight of goal for Stefano Pioli`s side.

That changed when Mane levelled the scores, the former Liverpool man benefitting from a slight deflection off the shoulder of Yuichi Maruyama that took his right-foot shot past Kawasaki goalkeeper Louis Yamaguchi.

Ronaldo then rattled the frame of the goal with a header moments after sending an overhead effort wide of the target as Al-Nassr started totake controlofproceedings.But with four minutes left in the half Kawasaki reclaimed the lead through the doggedness of Ito, whose determined running unsettled the Al-Nassr defence. While Bento saved the winger`s close-range shot, Ozeki calmly converted the rebound.

Frontale`s decisive third came 14 minutes from time after Erison drove along the Al-Nassr byline to set up fellow substitute Ienaga to strike.

Yahya thumped home Al-Nassr`s second in the 87th minute before Yamaguchi twice denied an increasingly desperate Ronaldo in injury time as Kawasaki claimed a famous win.

Al Nassr coach Stefano Pioli said Kawasaki`s intensity was pivotal.

`Kawasaki surprised us with their level,` said the Italian. `Our biggest issue was a lack of discipline and too many mistakes, we didn`t play to our potential. We knew the opponents` style but we just weren`t good enough.`-Reuters