AFC Champions League

Eight games were played in the AFC Champions League's group stage on Wednesday.

Group A:

At Al Rayyan, Qatar:

Cho Yong Hyung's own goal in the 90th minute proved costly as Al-Jazira defeated Al-Rayyan 3-2 on the road and clinched a berth in the knockout stage.

At Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:

Saeed Al Dasori scored the winning goal deep into second-half stoppage time (90'+5) as Al-Shabab defeated visiting Esteghlal 2-1.  The Saudi Arabian club will play in the knockout stage.

GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. x-Al-Shabab (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 12)
2. x-Al-Jazira (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 10)
3. z-Esteghlal FC (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 4)
4. z-Al-Rayyan (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 3)

x-Clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament



Group B:

At Tashkent, Uzbekistan:

Oleg Zoteev (43'), Shodiev Vokhid (83'), and Alibobo Rakhmatullaev (85') produced the goals as Bunyodkor defeated visiting Al-Fateh 3-2 and stayed alive in the race for a knockout-stage berth.

At  Ahvaz, Iran:

Bakhtiar Rahmani (21'), Gholam Reza Rezaei (45'), and Luciano Pereira (90'+3) each scored a goal as Foolad defeated visiting El Jaish 3-1 and locked up a berth in the knockout stage.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. x-Foolad FC (GP: 5; GD: +4; PTS: 11)
2.    El Jaish (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 8)
3.    Bunyodkor PFK (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 5)
4. z-Al-Fateh (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 2)

x-Clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament



Group E:

At Osaka, Japan:

Lee Myung-Joo (24') and Kim Seung-Dae (65') each scored a goal as Pohang Steelers clinched first place in Group E following their 2-0 road win over Cerezo Osaka.

At Buriram, Thailand:

Kai Hirano scored the only goal of the match in the 35th minute as Buriram United made it a three-team race for the second Group E knockout-stage berth with their 1-0 home win over Shandong Luneng Taishan.

GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. xy-Pohang Steelers (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 11)
2.      Buriram United (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 5)
3.      Cerezo Osaka (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 5)
4.      Shandong Luneng Taishan (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 5)

xy-Won Group E and clinched berth in knockout stage



Group F:

At Gosford, Australia:

John Hutchinson's second-half stoppage-time own goal (90'+2) proved costly to the Central Coast Mariners as FC Seoul found themselves atop the Group F standings and on the cusp of locking up a berth in the knockout stage following their 1-0 road victory.

At Beijing, China:

Naoki Ishihara scored twice in the second half (67', 70') as Sanfrecce Hiroshima stayed in the race for a knockout-stage berth following their 2-2 road draw with Beijing Guoan.  Shao Jiayi (55') and Joffre Guerron (61') delivered the goals for the Chinese club.

GROUP F STANDINGS:

1. FC Seoul (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 8)
2. Central Coast Mariners (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 6)
3. Beijing Guoan FC (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 6)
4. Sanfrecce Hiroshima (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 6)