AFC Champions League: Group-Stage Play Concludes

Group-stage play in the AFC Champions League concluded on Wednesday with eight games.

Group A:

At Tehran, Iran:

Boubacar Kebe scored twice (54', 73') as Esteghlal defeated visiting Al-Rayyan 3-1.

At Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Abdul-Majid Al-Ruwaili scored twice (35', 89') as Al-Shabab defeated Al-Jazira 2-1 on the road and claimed top spot in Group A as both clubs are heading for the knockout stage.

FINAL GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. Al-Shabab (GP: 6; GD: +4; PTS: 15)
2. Al-Jazira (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 10)
3. Esteghlal FC (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 7)
4. Al-Rayyan (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 3)

Al-Shabab and Al-Jazira advanced to the knockout stage.



Group B:

At Ah-Hasa, Saudi Arabia:

Luciano Chimba Pereira Mendes delivered a natural first-half hat trick (10', PK-36', PK-44') while Gholamreza Rezaei added a second-half double (78', PK-90'+4) as Foolad, who already locked up top spot in Group B, demolished Al-Fateh 5-1 on the road.

At Doha, Qatar:

Sardor Rashidov scored the winning goal deep into second-half stoppage time (90'+4) as Bunyodkor knocked off El Jaish 2-1 on the road and, due to superior total goal scoring (7-6), snatched a knockout-stage berth away from the Qatari club. The two clubs had been level on points, head-to-head competition, and goal differential.

FINAL GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Foolad FC (GP: 6; GD: +8; PTS: 14)
2. Bunyodkor PFK (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 8)
3. El Jaish (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 8)
4. Al-Fateh (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 2)

Foolad FC and Bunyodkor PFK (who had superior overall goal scoroing 7-6 vis-a-viv El Jaish) advanced to the knockout stage.



Group E:

At Pohang, South Korea:

Pohang Steelers, already bound for the knockout stage, settled for a 0-0 home deadlock with Buriram United.

At Jinan, China:

Second-half goals from Yoichiro Kakitani (46') and Diego Forlan (48') carried Cerezo Osaka to a 2-1 come-from-behind road win over Shandong Luneng Taishan and a berth in the knockout stage.

FINAL GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. Pohang Steelers (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 12)
2. Cerezo Osaka (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 8)
3. Buriram United (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 6)
4. Shandong Luneng Taishan FC (GP: 6 GD: -2; PTS: 5)

Pohang Steelers and Cerezo Osaka advanced to the knockout stage.



Group F:

At Hiroshima, Japan:

Satoru Yamagishi scored the only goal of the match in the 72nd minute as Sanfrecce Hiroshima locked up a berth in the knockout stage by defeating the visiting Central Coast Mariners 1-0.

At Seoul, South Korea:

Kang Seung-jo (43') and Yun Ju-tae (57') provided the scoring as FC Seoul locked up top spot in Group F with their 2-1 home win over Beijing Guoan.

FINAL GROUP F STANDINGS:

1. FC Seoul (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 11)
2. Sanfrecce Hiroshima (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)
3. Beijing Guoan FC (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 6)
4. Central Coast Mariners (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 6)

FC Seoul and Sanfrecce Hiroshima advanced to the knockout stage.