AFC Champions League: Bunyodkor, Zob Ahan, Kashima Antlers, Jeonbuk Motors, Suwon Bluewings Advance To Round of 16

Nine games were played on Tuesday in Match Day #5 of group stage play in the AFC Champions League.


Group B:


At Doha, Qatar:


Khalfan Ibrahim (55') and Hassan Khalid (77') provided the second half scoring as Al-Sadd came back from a two-goal halftime deficit to gain a 2-2 home draw with Esteghlal and lock up a knockout-stage berth.  Farhad Majidi (5', 37') both goals for the visiting Iranian club in the first half.


Group C:


At Tehran, Iran:


Persepolis defeated Al-Ittihad 3-2 at home but were still eliminated from the tournament.  The visiting club from Saudi Arabia had already clinched a berth in the knockout stage.  Hamid Ali Asgari scored twice for the hosts (14', 70').


At Tashkent, Uzbekistan:


Milos Trifunovic scored twice in the first half (11', 36') and Anvarjon Soliev scored the game winner at 85 minutes as FC Bunyodkor defeated visiting Al-Wahdi 3-2 to clinch a berth in the knockout stage, eliminating the visiting club from the United Arab Emirates in the process.


GROUP C STANDINGS:


1. Al-Ittihad* (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 10)
2. FC Bunyodkor* (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 8)
3. Persepolis FC# (GP: 5; GD: -3; PTS: 5)
4. Al-Wahda FC # (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 3)

*Clinched berth in knockout stage
#Eliminated


Group D:


At Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates:


Mohammad Ghazi Najafabadi scored the only goal of the match at 80 minutes as Zob Ahan clinched a berth in the Round of 16 following their 1-0 road win over Emirates Club.


At Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:


Al-Shabab moved into second place in Group D following their 1-0 victory over visiting Al-Rayyan.  Nasser Al Shamrani scored for the hosts at 76 minutes.


GROUP D STANDINGS:


1. Zob Ahan Isfahan FC* (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 13)
2. Al-Shabab (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 8)
3. Emirates Club (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 6)
4. Al-Rayyan# (GP: 5; GD: -6; PTS: 1)


*Clinched berth in knockout stage
#Eliminated


Group G:


At Malang, Indonesia:


Takashi Inui scored twice (46', 60') as Cerezo Osaka blasted hosts Arema 4-0.


At Jinan, China:


Lee Dong-Gook scored twice (31', 53') as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors locked up a berth in the knockout stage with a 2-1 road win over Shandong Luneng.


GROUP G STANDINGS:


1. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors* (GP: 5; GD: +6; PTS: 12)
2. Cerezo Osaka (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
3. Shandong Luneng (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 7)
4. Arema FC# (GP: 5; GD: -14; PTS: 1)


*Advanced to knockout stage
#Eliminated 


Group H:


At Tokyo:


Shinzo Koroki scored both goals (31', 80') as Kashima Antlers locked up a berth in the knockout stage with their 2-0 home win over Shanghai Shenhua.


At Suwon, South Korea:


Ha Tae-Gyun (34'), Mato Neretljak (50'), and Yeom Ki-Hoon (80') each tallied once as Suwon Samsung Bluewings locked up a Round-of-16 berth with their 3-1 home win over Sydney FC.


GROUP H STANDINGS:


1. Suwon Bluewings* (GP: 5; GD: +6; PTS: 9)
2. Kashima Antlers* (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 9)
3. Sydney FC# (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 5)
4. Shanghai Shenhua# (GP: 5; GD: -7; PTS: 2)


*Advanced to knockout stage
#Eliminated