AFC Champions League

Eight games were contested on Wednesday as group-stage action in the AFC Champions League concluded.

GROUP A:

At Muscat, Oman (due to deteriorating relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia):

Lucian Sanmartean (15') and Ahmed Al-Nadhri (74') each scored a goal as Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia blanked Iran's Sepahan 2-0.  The victory wasn't enough, though, to lift the Saudi club into the knockout stage.

At Tashkent, Uzbekistan:

A 0-0 draw between Lokomotiv Tashkent and visiting Al-Nasr carried both clubs into the knockout stage.

Final Group A Standings:

1. Lokomotiv Tashkent (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 10)
2. Al-Nasr (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)
3. Al-Ittihad (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 9)
4. Sepahan FC (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS: 3)

Lokomotiv Tashkent and Al-Nasr advanced to the knockout stage.  Al-Nasr had a win and a draw in two games against Al-Ittihad and outscored the Saudi club 2-1 on aggregate.



GROUP B:

At Dubai, United Arab Emirates (due to deteriorating relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran):

Ehsan Pahlavan (30'), Masoud Hassanzadeh (PK-42'), and Hashem Beikzadeh (87') each scored a goal as Zob Ahan blanked Al-Nassr 3-0.

At Doha, Qatar:

Lekhwiya and visiting FC Bunyodkor battled to a 0-0 stalemate.

Final Group B Standings:

1. Zob Ahan (GP: 6; GD: +10; PTS: 14)
2. Lekhwiya SC (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 9)
3. Al-Nassr (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS: 5)
4. FC Bunyodkor (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 3)

Zob Ahan and Lekhwiya advanced to the knockout stage.



GROUP E:

At Jeonju, South Korea:

Leonardo Rodriguez Pereira (PK-19') and Lim Jong-eun (69') each scored a goal as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors locked up top spot in Group E and a berth in the knockout stage with a 2-2 home draw with Jiangsu Suning.  Alex Teixeira (24') and Jo (PK-54) each scored once for the Chinese club, who found themselves eliminated from the tournament because of that draw, combined with FC Tokyo's victory.

At Thu Dau Mot, Vietnam:

Ryoichi Maeda scored twice (21', 55') as FC Tokyo defeated Becamex Binh Duong 2-1 and clinched a berth in the knockout stage.

Final Group E Standings:

1. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (GP: 6; GD: +4; PTS: 10)
2. FC Tokyo (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 10)
3. Jiangsu Suning (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
4. Becamex Binh Duong (GP: 6; GD: -7; PTS; 4)

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and FC Tokyo advanced to the knockout stage.  Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors took both matches against FC Tokyo by an aggregate score of 5-1 (2-1, 3-0).



GROUP F:

At Hiroshima, Japan:

Yusuke Minagawa scored the winning goal in the 39th minute as Sanfrecce Hiroshima closed out their tournament campaign with a 2-1 home win over FC Seoul, who still locked up top spot in Group G.

At Buriram, Thailand:

Buriram United and visiting (and knockout-stage bound) Shandong Luneng battled to a 0-0 stalemate as the club from Thailand picked up their first and only point in the tournament.

Final Group F Standings:

1. FC Seoul (GP: 6: +12; PTS: 13)
2. Shandong Luneng (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 11)
3. Sanfrecce Hiroshima (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)
4. Buriram United (GP: 6; GD: -15; PTS: 1)

FC Seoul and Shandong Luneng advanced to the knockout stage.