AFC Champions League wrap: Jeonbuk thrash Arema, Cerezo through

A Krunoslav Lovrek hat-trick helped Jeonbuk Motors thrash Arema 6-0 in their AFC Champions League clash on Tuesday.

Already guaranteed of a spot in the knockout phase of Asia’s illustrious club competition, the South Korean side finished their Group G campaign in style with a rout of their Indonesian opponents.

Lovrek, a Croatian striker, scored in the game’s opening minute at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium, before Dong-Chan Kim doubled the hosts’ lead in the ninth minute.

Seong-Hoon Jeong made it three in the 28th minute, before Lovrek added his second, and Jeonbuk’s fourth, just prior to the break.

The 31-year-old wrapped up his hat-trick on the hour mark before being substituted, and Seung-Jo Kang capped a clinical performance from his side with a 77th-minute goal.

The other Group G clash would decide the second team to advance to the knockout stages, and Japanese outfit Cerezo Osaka thrashed China’s Shandong Luneng 4-0 at Kincho Stadium to progress to the last 16.

The win sealed second place in the group for Cerezo on 12 points, five clear of third placed Shandong.

Japan’s Kashima Antlers came from behind to beat A-League club Sydney 2-1 in their Group H dead rubber, but the Suwon Bluewings of South Korea, finished top of the group after their 3-0 away win over Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua, which exited the group stages winless.

Kashima and Suwon has already confirmed their progression to the knockout stages, with the Bluewings superior goal difference handing them top spot in the group after both sides finished on 12 points.

Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab ensured their spot in the knockout round with a 1-0 away win over Zob Ahan of Iran in Group D.

Zob Ahan still finished on top of the group despite the loss, with Al Shabab two points behind in second.

Qatar’s Al Rayyan bowed out of the competition on a high, picking up their first win of the group stage 2-0 over Emirates away from home, courtesy of Abdulghafoor Murad and Ahmed Alaaeldin goals.

United Arab Emirates club Al Wahda beat Persepolis 2-0 in their Group C clash, the bottom side extinguishing what little hopes Persepolis had of reaching the knockout stages.