AFC Champions League Group Stage Play Resumes-----Minus Sharjah FC

Matchday #5 in group stage play in the AFC Champions League began Tuesday.

Group C:

At Tehran, Iran:

Ali Alizadeh's equalizer at 89 minutes enabled Esteghlal to salvage a 1-1 home draw with Al-Ittihad. Hicham Aboucherouane scored at 81 minutes for the Saudi club who will be playing in the knockout stage, which will not include their Iranian club hosts.

At Doha, Qatar:

Umm-Salal were held to a 2-2 home draw by Al-Jazira, but the hosts nevertheless clinched a Round-of-16 berth in the AFC Champions League while the visiting club from the Emirates have been eliminated.

GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. Al-Ittihad* (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
2. Amm-Salal* (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 8)
3. Al-Jazira# (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 4)
4. Esteghlal FC# (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 3)

*Advanced to the knockout stage
#Eliminated

Group D:

At Dubai, UAE:

Al-Shabab Al-Arabi stayed alive in the competition following their 2-1 home win over Sepahan FC, which eliminated the Iranian club from the tounament.

At Dammam, Saudi Arabia:

Al-Ettifaq locked up a spot in the Round-of-16 (and clinched top spot in Group D in the process) thanks to their 4-0 home beatdown of FC Bunyodkor.

GROUP D STANDINGS:

1. Al-Ettifaq**(GP: 5; GD: +10; PTS: 12)
2. FC Bunyodkor (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 7)
3. Al-Shabab Al-Arabi (GP: 5; GD: -5; PTS: 6)
4. Sepahan FC# (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 4)

**Won Group D and advanced to the knockout stage
#Eliminated

Group F:

At Seoul, South Korea:

Dejan Damjanovic's hat trick (17', 72' 90'+2) combined with Sim Woo-Yeon's brace (75', 79') as FC Seoul delivered a 5-1 home fistbeating to Sriwijaya FC.

Group G:

At Kashima, Japan:

Kashima Antlers locked up berth in the knockout stage with their 3-0 home domination of Suwon Bluewings. The Antlers got goalpower courtesy of Go Oiwa (26') and Marquinhos (31', 74')

At Singapore:

Singapore Armed Forces picked up their first point tournament as they gained a 1-1 home draw with Shanghai Shenhua, perhaps delivering a serieous blow to the Chinese club's hopes of advancing to the knockout stage. Ahmad Latiff scored for SAFFC at 29 minutes, while Hernan Barcos adverted what could have been an embarassing and cripling defeat with his equalizer at 90'+1.

GROUP G STANDINGS:

1. Kashima Antlers* (GP: 5; GD: +10; PTS: 12)
2. Suwon Bluewings (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 9)
3. Shanghai Shenhua (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 7)
4. Singapore Armed Forces (GP: 5; GD: -13; PTS: 1)

Group H:

At Pohang, South Korea:

Denilson's hat trick (8', 71', 88') helped Pohang Steelers lock up a knockout stage berth as they held off visiting Central Coast Mariners 3-2.

At Tianjin, China:

Ma Leilei's double (12', 19') helped Tianjin Teda defeat visiting (and Round-of-16-bound) Kawasaki Frontale 3-1. The Chinese club were still eliminated from the tournament because of the Pohang Steelers win over Central Coast Mariners.

GROUP H STANDINGS:

1. Kawasaki Frontale* (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 10)
2. Pohang Steelers* (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 9)
3. Tianjin Teda FC# (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 5)
4. Central Coast Mariners# (GP: 5; GD: -7; PTS: 2)

*Advanced to the knockout stage
#Eliminated

Sharjah FC from the United Arab Emirated withdrew from the AFC Champions League and their scores have been stricken from Group B.

The club may end up in deep excrement with the AFC as well as the Emirates' soccer league over that decision.