Six teams reach ACL last 16
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E-mail China.org.cn, April 17, 2014
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Inaugural AFC Champions League winners Al Ain became the first side to qualify for the last 16 of this year's competition following a 5-0 win over Lekhwiya in Qatar on Tuesday. |
Former winners Al Ain, Al Ittihad and Pohang Steelers along with Al Shabab, Al Jazira and Foolad Khouzestan secured qualification for the last 16 of the AFC Champions League this week.
Inaugural AFC Champions League winners Al Ain were the first side to secure safe passage after beating Qatar's Lekhwiya 5-0 on Tuesday, with two-time champions Al Ittihad completing the qualification picture in Group C with a 2-0 win over Iran's Tractorsazi Tabriz.
Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab and Emirati side Al Jazira have also wrapped up their places in Group A, and while Iran champions Khouzestan advanced from Group B, Pohang are the only side to have progressed from the East ahead of next week's final round of group stage fixtures after the Korean champions beat Cerezo Osaka 2-0 in Group E.
"I'm extremely happy with the big result that we got as we worked very hard to win the match," said Al Ain coach Zlatko Dalic after seeing Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan score twice against 2013 quarter-finalists Lekhwiya to take his tally to seven goals in five games in the tournament.
"Our main target for the match was to get a victory and to be honest I didn't expect to win by such a big margin.
"But we achieved a big and important victory which helped us to remain on top of the group. We played with great concentration, especially on the attacking side of our plan, and there was good co-operation between the players."
And with Abdulfattah Asiri and Mukhtar Fallatah scoring for Al Ittihad against 10-man Tabriz in Mekkah, the 2004 and 2005 champions will travel to the UAE next week needing to beat Al Ain to claim top spot in Group C.
First place is also all that needs to be determined in Group A after Al Jazira beat Qatar's Al Rayyan 3-2 courtesy of a late own goal from Cho Yong-hyung, while table-topping 2013 quarter-finalists Al Shabab recorded a 2-1 home win over Esteghlal.
And Al Shabab will travel to the UAE next week knowing they simply need to avoid defeat to hold onto first place and home advantage in their Round of 16 tie in May.
In Group B, Khouzestan are guaranteed to finish at the top of the table after the newly-crowned Iran Pro League champions reached the Round of 16 for the first time as goals from captain Bahktiar Rahmani, Gholam Rezaei and Chimba completed a comeback win over El Jaish.
And with two-time semi-finalists Bunyodkor keeping their qualification hopes alive after scoring two late goals to secure a 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia's Al Fateh, Al Jaish must avoid defeat at home to the Uzbekistan champions next week to reach the last 16 for a second consecutive season.
Group D, meanwhile, remains wide open with only two points separating the four sides after Iran's Sepahan beat 2011 champions Al Sadd 4-0, while Al Ahli were held to a goalless draw by Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal in Dubai.
The same can be said in the East, with only three-time Asian champions Pohang assured of a place in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League for the first time since 2010 after goals from Lee Myung-joo and Kim Seung-dae secured victory over Cerezo.
"I'm glad that we have achieved our objective and reached the Round 16," said Pohang coach Hwang Sun-hong. "Now we can start preparing for our next stage."
After suffering a second defeat of the campaign, Cerezo are now in a three-way tie for second place after 2013 quarter-finalists Buriram United kept their qualification hopes alive with a 1-0 win over China's Shandong Luneng.
Japanese striker Kai Hirano scored the only goal in the first half at Buriram Stadium, meaning Buriram now hold a potentially crucial head-to-head advantage over Shandong after the sides shared a 1-1 draw at the start of the campaign.
The Thai treble winners travel to Korea next week needing to better the result Cerezo achieve in China against Shandong, who themselves need to better Buriram's result against Pohang.
Elsewhere, Group G sees all four teams tied on seven points ahead of next week's final round of fixtures after Australia's Melbourne Victory beat defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande 2-0, while Japan's Yokohama F. Marinos recorded a 2-1 win over 2006 winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
Next week, Guangzhou entertain Yokohama, while Melbourne travel to Jeonbuk.
All four sides are also still in the qualification picture in Group F after 2013 finalists FC Seoul edged out Central Coast Mariners 1-0 in Australia thanks to a 92nd minute own goal from captain John Hutchinson, while Beijing Guoan shared a 2-2 draw with J.League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima in China.
FC Seoul, who moved two points clear of the other three sides at the top of the table, now need to avoid defeat at home to Beijing to ensure progress, while Sanfrecce entertain Central Coast with the winner guaranteed to qualify.
Finally in Group H, only China's Guizhou Renhe have been eliminated after losing 1-0 at home to Japan's Kawasaki Frontale, while Western Sydney Wanderers beat 2012 champions Ulsan Hyundai 2-0 at Munsu Stadium.
AFC Champions League debutants Western Sydney and Kawasaki currently top the table with a two point lead over Ulsan, who must beat the J.League side next week in Japan to secure a place in the last 16.
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