AFC Champions League: Scoreless Stalemate Sends Both Pohang and Adelaide United To Round of 16; Gamba Osaka And Al-Hilal In Knockout Stage, Too

Group stage action in the AFC Champions League resumed with eight games on Tuesday.

Group C:


At Tashkent, Uzbekistan:

Ruzim Ahmedov's first-half hat trick (9', 12', 29') enabled Pakhtakor Tashkent to hold off visiting Al-Ain 3-2, eliminating the club from the Emirates from the tournament.


At Isfahan, Iran:

Sepahan FC defeated visiting  Al-Shabab 1-0 as Ahmad Jamshidian provided the game's lone goal at 10 minutes.


GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. Pakhtakor Tashkent (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 9)
2. Sepahan FC (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 8)
3. Al-Shabab (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 7)
4. Al-Ain# (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 4)

Group D:


At Dubai, United Arab Emirates:

Al-Ahli defeated visiting Mes Kerman FC 2-1.  Faisal Khalil (30') and Ahmad Khalil (PK-83') provided the goals for the hosts.


At Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:

Al-Hilal were held to a 0-0 home deadlock by Al-Sadd.  But that was good enough for the hosts to clinch a berth in the knockout stage (in fact, they sewed up the Group D title).

GROUP D STANDINGS:

1. Al-Hilal** (GP: 5; GD: +6; PTS: 11)
2. Al-Sadd (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 7)
3. Mes Kerman FC (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 6)
4. Al-Ahli (GP: 5; GD: -7; PTS: 4)

Group G:

At Suita, Japan:

Goals from Takahiro Futagawa (61') and Takashi Usami (90') enabled Gamba Osaka to come from behind and defeat Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2-1 at home and clinch a berth in the Round of 16.  The visiting South Korean club had already locked up a berth in the knockout stage.

At Singapore:

Daniel Bennett (65') and Erwan Gunawan (77') each tallied once as Singapore Armed Forces FC eliminated visiting Henan Construction from the tournament with a 2-1 victory.

GROUP G STANDINGS:

1. Gamba Osaka* (GP: 5; GD: +6; PTS: 11)
2. Suwon Samsung Bluewings* (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 10)
3. Singapore Armed Forces FC# (GP: 5; GD: -6; PTS: 4)
4. Henan Construction# (GP: 5; GD: -5; PTS: 2)


*Advnaced to the knockout stage of the Champions League.
#Eliminated from tournament.


Group H:


At Jinan, China:


Koji Morisaki (73') and Tadanari Lee (78', 90'+1) proviede the goals that carried Sanfrecce Hiroshima to a 3-2 road win over Shandong Luneng.  The win was not enough for the Japanese club as the draw between Pohang Steelers and Adelaide United eliminated them from the tournament.


At Pohang, South Korea.


A 0-0 stalemate between Pohang Steelers and Adelaide United locked up knockout-stage berths for both clubs.


GROUP H STANDINGS:


1. Adelaide United* (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 10)
2. Pohang Steelers* (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 10)
3. Sanfrecce Hiroshima# (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 6)
4. Shandong Luneng# (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS; 3)


*Advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League.


#Eliminated from tournament.