Kashima first into AFC Champions League knockouts

Japanese heavyweights Kashima Antlers powered into the last 16 of the AFC Champions League on Tuesday for the third year in a row and were joined by Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors.

The J-League leaders trampled Indonesian minnows Persipura Jayapura 3-1 in Jakarta to leave them unbeaten after four games and on top of Group F.

Jeonbuk Motors also went through from the group after grinding out a 1-0 home win over China’s Changchun Yatai.

A fine 54th minute strike by former Middlesbrough man Lee Dong-Gook was enough to secure a win for the Koreans.

It leaves them on nine points, six ahead of Changchun in third with two games remaining but with a superior head-to-head record.

Kashima’s in-form midfielder Yasushi Endo put his side in front after just two minutes at a virtually empty Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, volleying home a left wing cross from Brazilian defender Gilton.

Surprisingly for a team that has conceded 21 goals and scored just one in their Champions League debut, Persipura snatched a shock equaliser through striker Tinus Pae on 19 minutes.

Shinzo Koroki restored Kashima’s lead seven minutes later when he nicely controlled a Takuya Nozawa pass and whipped the ball past the goalkeeper.

Atsuto Uchida smashed the third to kill the game off 10 minutes before the break.

In Group H, Adelaide United could have sealed a knockout-stage spot with a win over Japanese strugglers Sanfrecce Hiroshima, but they failed to take their chance, forced onto the back foot for much of the game in a 1-0 defeat.

Hiroshima skipper Hisato Sato broke the deadlock shortly before half-time with a neat header after a pinpoint cross from Koji Nakajima.

It leaves Adelaide on nine points, level with defending champions Pohang Steelers of South Korea who needed an 84th minute goal from Kim Tae-Su to secure a 2-1 victory over China’s Shandong Luneng.

Kim Jae-Sung opened the scoring on 51 minutes before Li Jinyu pulled one back for the home team with 16 minutes left, setting up an exciting finale.

The defeat leaves Shandong on three points and needing to win their last two games to keep alive their slim hopes.

Elsewhere, former Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Bunyodkor slumped to defeat against Group B leaders Zobahan, with Brazilian veteran Rivaldo sent off.

The Uzbek champions were beaten 3-0 by Zobahan last week and crashed 1-0 on Tuesday with Mohamad Reza Khalatbari getting the winner on the half hour mark.

Two-time champions Al Ittihad, meanwhile, aim to repeat their win over UAE?s Al Wahda when they host their rivals in Jeddah and keep the pressure on the leading pair.

Al Sadd vists Mes Kerman in Group D with striker Leandro looking to add to his 15 AFC Champions League goals.

The Qatari club lie second in the group, one point behind Al Hilal, who can secure their place in the round of 16 should Al Sadd defeat Mes and the Saudi giants mastermind a win over Al Ahli in Dubai.