Horikoshi had given Kaya the lead from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute but Bedic’s 69th minute expulsion for a second bookable offence unlocked the visiting defence for Eastern as Marcos Gondra struck the equaliser a minute later.
But a second penalty four minutes from time from Mendy ensured the points were claimed by Kaya and the result keeps the club’s slim hopes of securing a berth in the next round alive.
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Horikoshi was denied the opener as early as the 14th minute, the Japanese midfielder seeing his first-time shot saved by Yapp Hung Fai after Shuto Komaki had released his compatriot through the middle.
Twelve minutes later Eastern looked set to take the lead when Noah Baffoe’s header from distance arced over Kaya goalkeeper Walid Essafi but his effort thumped against the crossbar before the assistant referee’s flag was raised for a marginal offside decision.
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Referee Yousif Saeed Hassan then awarded a penalty when Yapp’s knee made contact with Horikoshi in the 32nd minute as the Kaya playmaker attempted to intercept a headed pass back to the goalkeeper from Daniel Almazan. Horikoshi made no mistake from the spot.
Three minutes before the interval Komaki was denied a second for Kaya when Yapp threw himself to his right to push away a goal-bound shot from the right side of the penalty area.
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Victor Bertomeu and Jesse Yu Joy Yin both tried their luck in the opening exchanges of the second half for Eastern but were unable to pull their side level while Essafi pushed away Leung Kwun Chung’s in-swinging corner before Felipe Sa’s follow-up shot was blocked.
The home side continued to press with Gondra heading Baffoe’s cross from the left over the bar.
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The game’s momentum swung further in Eastern’s favour when Bedic was sent off for a poor tackle on Jesse Yu and, within a minute, the home side levelled with Gondra lashing a volley from the edge of the area past Essafi.
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Eastern pressed for a winner with Sa’s left-foot effort pushed away for a corner by Essafi with six minutes remaining but a foul on Jesus Melliza at other end by Wong Tze Ho set up Mendy to hit a shock winner, which the Senegalese forward gladly accepted.
