AFC Champions League: Second Half Of Group Stage Play Starts; Antlers and Jeonbuk Advance

The second half of play in the AFC Champions League's group stage commenced with eight games played on Tuesday.

Group B:

At Tashkent, Uzbekistan:

Mohamadreza Khalatbari scored the only goal of the match at 29 minutes as FC Zob Ahan knocked off FC Bunyodkor 1-0 on the road.

At Jeddah, Saudi Arabia:


Al-Ittihad blasted visiting Al-Wahda 4-0, eliminating the club from the UAE from the tournament.  Saud Ali Khariri scored twice (14', 19') in the first half for the hosts.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. FC Zob Ahan (GP: 4; GD: +5; PTS: 10)
2. Al-Ittihad (GP: 4; GD: +3; PTS: 7)
3. FC Bunyodkor (GP: 4; GD: 0; PTS: 6)
4. Al-Wahda# (GP: 4; GD: -8; PTS: 0)


#Eliminated



Group D:

At Kerman, Iran:

Luciano Edinho (36'), Ali Samereh (48'), and Paulo Zaltron (83') each scored once as Mes Kerman FC defeated visiting Al-Sadd 3-1.

At Dubai, United Arab Emirates:

Al-Hilal defeated Al-Ahli 3-2 on the road.  Yasser Al Qahtani (10'), Christian Wilhelmsson (16'), and Young-Pyo Lee (90') each tallied once for the visiting club from Saudi Arabia.


GROUP D STANDINGS:


1. Al-Hilal (GP: 4; GD: +6; PTS: 10)
2. Al-Sadd (GP: 4; GD: +3; PTS: 6)
3. Mes Kerman FC (GP: 4; GD: =1; PTS: 6)
4. Al-Ahli (GP: 4; GD: -8; PTS: 1)


Group F:

At Jakarta, Indonesia:

Yasushi Endo (1'), Shinzo Koroki (26'), and Atsuto Uchida (34') each scored once in the first half as Kashima Antlers clinched a berth in the Round of 16 with a 3-1 road win over Persipura Jayapura, eliminating the Indonesian club from the competition in the process.


At Jeonju, South Korea:


Dong-Gook Lee's goal at 55 minutes sent Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors into the knockout stage as the South Korean club defeated (and eliminated from the tournament) visiting Changchun Yatai 1-0.


GROUP F STANDINGS:


1. Kashima Antlers* (GP: 4; GD: +9; PTS: 12)
2. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors* (GP: 4; GD: +4; PTS: 9)
3. Changchun Yatai# (GP: 4; GD: +6; PTS: 3)
4. Persipura Jayapura# (GP: 4; GD: -19; PTS: 0)


*Advanced to the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League


#Eliminated


Group H:


At Hiroshima, Japan:


Hisato Sato provided the only goal of the match at 45 minutes as Sanfrecce Hiroshima prevented visiting Adelaide United from locking up a knockout stage berth with a 1-0 win.


At Jinan, China:


Pohang Steelers moved within one point of claiming a Round of 16 berth with a 2-1 road win over Shandong Luneng.  Jae-Sung Kim (51') and Tae-Su Kim (85') provided the goalpower for the defending champs.


GROUP H STANDINGS:


1. Adelaide United (GP: 4; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
2. Pohang Steelers (GP: 4; GD: +2; PTS: 9)
3. Sanfrecce Hiroshima (GP: 4; GD: -2; PTS: 3)
4. Shandong Luneng (GP: 4; GD: -3; PTS: 3)