AFC Champions League wrap: Gamba suffer shock exit

Gamba Osaka were eliminated from the 2011 AFC Champions League at the hands of cross-town rivals Cerezo Osaka on Tuesday.

Cerezo entered the round-of-16 clash without a win from their seven J-League matches this season, but an 89th minute goal from midfielder Daisuke Takahashi was enough to send Cerezo through to the quarter-finals.

The result is a shock for Gamba, who topped Group E and were winners of the continental tournament in 2008.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, 2010 Chinese Super League runners-up Tianjin Teda were also knocked out of the tournament when they suffered a 3-0 loss in South Korea against Jeonbuk Motors.

Brazilian midfielder Eninho did most of the damage for the Korean side, bagging a brace, with Lee Seung-Hyun scoring the other goal of the game.

Reigning Iranian champions Sepahan booked their place in the last eight with a 3-1 win over Uzbek outfit Bunyodkor.

Brazilian midfielder Januario opened the scoring for the hosts after 27 minutes and Ibrahima Toure doubled their advantage five minutes later.

Bunyodkor pulled a goal back 12 minutes after the break, but a penalty from Hadi Aghily at the 69-minute mark sealed the game for the Iranian club.