AFC Champions League: There'll Be A Japanese Club In The Finals

The quarterfinal round of the AFC Champions League concluded Wednesday:

At Osaka, Japan:

Masato Yamazaki (83') and Ronieliton (Roni) dos Santos (85') provided the late second half scoring to lift Gamba Osaka to a 2-0 game two home victory over Al-Karamah (Syria), enabling the Japanese club to take their two-match set 4-1 on aggregate.

At Saitama, Japan:

The Uwara Red Diamonds overturned their 3-2 road defeat of last week with a 2-0 home win to take their two-match set with Al Qadisiya Kuwait 4-3 on aggregate. Takahito Soma (31') and Marcus Tulio Tanaka (54') provided the critical tallies for the Reds.

Gamba Osaka and the Uwara Reds will face off in a two-match semifinal series, beginning October 8 at Osaka, Japan.

At Tashkent, Uzbekistan:

Coming off their 2-2 road draw of last week, FC Bunyodkor, thanks to Jose Luis Villanueva's hat trick (9', PK-19', 52') exploded offensively as they Iran Salpa FC at home 5-1 in game two to take their two-game series 7-3 on aggregate.

At Adelaide, Australia:

Robert Cornthwaite scored the lone goal (72') of game two, which saw Adelaide United defeat visiting Kashima Antlers 1-0 and win the two-match set 2-1 on aggregate.

Adelaide United will visit FC Bunyodkor in game one of their two-game semifinal series at Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Wednesday, October 8.