Adelaide United and Suwon Bluewings both earned home advantage for the knockout round of the AFC Champions League on Tuesday.
The Reds clung on to a home tie for their round of 16 match next month despite losing to China’s Shandong Luneng 1-0.
They stayed top of their group after South Korea’s Pohang Steelers lost 4-3 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Adelaide dominated but fell to a spectacular goal from Li Wei, meaning they now play the runners-up of Group F — either Kashima Antlers or Jeonbuk Motors, who were playing yesterday.
Pohang, as runners-up, will face the group winners after they lost to Sanfrecce, with Junya Osaki giving the Japanese team a flying start with a strike in the first minute.
Pohang drew level through Kim Jae-sung before Lee Tadanari put the home side 2-1 up in the 29th minute and Shinichiro Kuwada made it 3-1 just before the break.
Kim pulled one back before Shin Hyung-min hit a sizzling equalizer.
Sanfrecce kept pushing and Tomoaki Makino bagged the decider with nine minutes left.
Suwon also ensured a home tie with a 6-2 win over Singapore Armed Forces, taking top spot in Group G after Japan’s Gamba Osaka drew 1-1 with China’s Henan Jianye.
Suwon’s victory set up a meeting with Beijing Guoan at home for a place in the quarter-finals, while Gamba must travel to South Korea to play Seongnam Ilhwa.
Saudis Al Shabab beat Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor 2-1 later on Tuesday to make the knockout phase.
Pakhtakor had led Group C with nine points, two ahead of Al Shabab, while Iran’s Sepahan were second with eight points.
Al Shabab had to win to qualify as a draw would at best have brought them level with Sepahan, who had a better head-to-head record.
UAE’s Al Ain hosted Sepahan, with a win ensuring they stay in the competition and they duly did that beating the Iranians 2-0.
In Group D Al Sadd were denied a place in the last 16 as Ali Abbas’ stoppage-time strike secured a 2-2 draw for Al Ahli.
The draw means Al Sadd finish one point behind Iran’s Mes Kerman, who beat Saudis Al Hilal 3-1.
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