ACL quarterfinals line-up set
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Former winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors beat Australia's Melbourne Victory 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League to earn a place in June's quarter-final draw. |
Former winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Al Ain along with Uzbekistan's Lokomotiv, Chinese duo Shanghai SIPG and Shandong Luneng, FC Seoul of Korea Republic, Al Nasr of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar's El Jaish all secured qualification for the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League this week.
K-League champions Jeonbuk recorded a 3-2 aggregate victory over Australia's Melbourne Victory after winning Tuesday's second leg 2-1 at home, while Shanghai, FC Seoul, Lokomotiv and Al Ain also recorded victories this week to win their ties and advance to the last eight.
And Shandong, Al Nasr and El Jaish completed the line-up ahead of the June 6 draw in Kuala Lumpur.
"I am happy that we have achieved our target and made it through to the last eight," said Jeonbuk coach Choi Kang-hee after a brace from Brazilian Leonardo saw the 2006 champions advance to the last eight for a second consecutive season following Round of 16 exits in both 2013 and 2014.
"We knew it would be a tough game and it was. The games have been coming thick and fast for us and it makes it hard but the players have responded well. We are improving all the time and are ready for the next challenge."
Also on Tuesday, debutants Shanghai earned a place in the quarter-finals after beating Japan's FC Tokyo 1-0 to seal their place in the last eight on the away goals rule following a 2-2 draw on aggregate.
Wu Lei's strike in injury time at Shanghai Stadium proved enough for the Chinese Super League side after the same player had also scored a vital goal in the 2-1 defeat in Japan last week.
Former finalists FC Seoul, meanwhile, came out on top in a penalty shoot-out with 2007 winners Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday as their 3-2 second leg victory was enough to cancel out their 1-0 loss in the first meeting at Saitama Stadium.
Uzbekistan's Lokomotiv also eliminated former continental champions in the form of two-time Asian Club Championship winners Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in Tashkent on Tuesday.
Having drawn 0-0 in Riyadh in the first leg, the Uzbek League side qualified for the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League for the first time after goals from Islom Tukhtakhujaev and Sherzod Fayziev secured a 2-1 victory.
"I want to thank my players as they followed all the instructions of the coaching staff," said Lokomotiv coach Andrey Miklyaev. "We won as a team unit.
"We worked on free-kicks and that gave us a big advantage. We had more chances than our opponents and we are happy with the victory."
Elsewhere, Al Nasr also advanced to the last eight for the first time despite a 3-1 second leg defeat to Iran's Tractorsazi Tabriz in the last 16 on Tuesday as the Emiratis claimed a 5-4 aggregate victory.
Al Ain, meanwhile, posted a 2-0 win in Isfahan against Iran's Zobahan to move into the quarter-finals for the second time in three seasons with a goal in each half from Lee Myung-joo and Danilo Asprilla taking the former champions into the last eight with a 3-1 aggregate win.
"Zobahan are a hardworking, strong team but we were better than them today," said Al Ain coach Zlatko Dalic.
"We deserved to be present among the last eight teams and I am honoured to be head coach of such a team."
El Jaish, however, were made to work for their place in the quarter-finals, with Sabri Lamouchi's side advancing with a 6-4 aggregate win despite losing 4-2 to fellow Qatar Stars League side Lekhwiya.
Three goals inside the first 20 minutes of the season half gave Lekhwiya – trailing 4-0 from the first leg – hope of a remarkable turnaround, but the dismissal of defender Chico Flores and a 70th minute goal from Romarinho ensured El Jaish progressed.
"The most important thing for us is that we qualified for the next stage of the competition," said Lamouchi.
"We knew we would be playing a strong team who took an early lead and they kept pushing us throughout the match."
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