Japan’s Kashima Antlers powered into the last 16 of the AFC Champions League yesterday for the third year in a row, but Adelaide United’s bid to join them stalled.
The J-League leaders trampled Indonesia’s Persipura Jayapura 3-1 in Jakarta to leave them unbeaten after four games and at the top of Group F.
Barring an upset, South Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors will join them in the knockout round from the group after grinding out a 1-0 home win over China’s Changchun Yatai.
OUT OF CONTENTION
A 54th-minute strike by Lee Dong-gook was enough to secure the win for Jeonbuk and leave them on nine points with two games to play. Changchun have three points while basement club Persipura are out of contention.
Kashima midfielder Yasushi Endo put his side in front after just two minutes, volleying home a left wing cross from Gilton.
Persipura snatched an equalizer through striker Tinus Pae on 19 minutes.
But Shinzo Koroki restored Kashima’s lead seven minutes later when he controlled a Takuya Nozawa pass and whipped the ball past the goalkeeper.
Atsuto Uchida smashed the third to kill the game off 11 minutes before the break.
In Group H, Adelaide United could have sealed a knockout-stage spot with a win over Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima, but failed to take their chance.
DEADLOCK
Hiroshima’s Hisato Sato broke the deadlock shortly before half-time with a neat header after a cross from Koji Nakajima.
China’s Shandong Luneng suffered a 2-1 defeat at home by Pohang Steelers of South Korea.
The visitors opened the scoring with a goal from Kim Jae-sung after 51 minutes before Li Jinyu equalized in the 74th. Pohang left it late to snatch the victory, midfielder Kim Tae-su scoring the decisive goal in the 86th minute
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