Gamba edged out Jeonbuk Motors 3-2 in an enthralling game to progress despite playing out a goalless tie in the first leg.

Koki Yonekura scored a dramatic injury time winner as Japan's Gamba Osaka set-up an AFC Champions League semi-final meeting with fellow former champions Guangzhou Evergrande after defeating Korea Republic's Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3-2 in a rollercoaster quarter-final second leg on Wednesday. Having shared a goalless draw in the first leg at Jeonju World Cup Stadium last month, the return meeting at Expo '70 Commemorative Stadium between the two former champions needed just 13 minutes to greet the tie's first goal as Leonardo netted from the penalty spot before Gamba restored parity a minute later through fellow Brazilian Patric.

The second half was a tighter affair but was blown open by Shu Kurata on 76 minutes as he fired home from range to send Gamba's vocal fans into premature ecstasy in the stands.

Jeonbuk substitute Urko Vera brought that joy to a halt with an 88th minute header, but just as it looked like Choi Kang-hee's side would make a sixth semi-final appearance, Yonekura fought his way into the penalty area to prod home past goalkeeper Kwoun Sun-tae deep into added time.

And with Guangzhou coming out on top against J.League side Kashiwa Reysol on Tuesday following a 1-1 draw at Tianhe Sport Centre Stadium that secured a 4-2 aggregate win for the 2013 winners, Kenta Hasegawa's Gamba will now face a trip to southern China for the first leg of the semi-final on September 30.

Jeonbuk, who remained unchanged from the 11 that started the first leg in Jeonju, started brightly and thought they had got off to a dream start when Lee Keun-ho headed home Lee Jae-sung's corner at the backpost on three minutes, but the goal was chalked off by referee Mohammed Hassan referee for a foul committed by the forward.

But the K-League Classic champions did not have to wait long to open the scoring as Daiki Niwa was adjudged to have handled Park Won-jae's shot inside the area following Leonardo's free-kick from the left on 12 minutes and the Brazilian stepped up to plant the ball firmly past Masaaki Higashiguchi.

Gamba responded in immediate fashion, though, as Yasuhito Endo's deep ball over the top a minute later saw Jeonbuk's offside trap fail and Hiroyuki Abe squared from the left to give Patric a simple tap-in for the equaliser and his fourth goal of the tournament.

The open nature of the first half continued as both sides looked to attack with Han Kyo-won and Lee Jae-sung having shots on goal for Jeonbuk, while Kurata and Abe also had efforts that narrowly missed the target at the other end.

Patric then had a golden chance to put 2008 champions Gamba back on top eight minutes before half-time as Takahiro Futagawa motored forward on the counterattack and put the Brazilian through on goal, but the powerful striker's shot lacked enough on it to beat Jeonbuk custodian Kwoun.

The second half began in less frenetic fashion with 2006 winners Jeonbuk knowing the 1-1 draw would be enough to take the visitors through on the away goals rule, but the tie continued to be tightly poised with each attack being countered.

Leonardo chipped an effort wide on 56 minutes shortly before Kurata's effort inside the penalty area was blocked by his some frantic Jeonbuk defending.

Brazilian Leonardo then nearly scored an impudent second with a cheeky flick on the hour mark from Han's cross from the right.

But it was Gamba who made the breakthrough with 14 minutes remaining as Kurata unleashed a blistering left-footed drive from 25-yards and the flight of the ball left Kwoun motionless as it flew into the bottom corner of the goal.

Spaniard Vera then looked like he had broken Gamba hearts with a late equaliser with two minutes remaining from a towering header.

But fellow substitute Konekura poked the ball past Kwoun at the second attempt in added time to secure a famous victory for the Japanese side.

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