Brazilian forward Adriano scored twice to highlight Gamba Osaka’s 3-1 win over Jeju United, helping the J.League side climb to second in Group E of the 2011 AFC Champions League at Expo ’70 Stadium in Osaka.

A late strike from Lee Dong-gook gave Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors a 1-0 win over Cerezo Osaka to put the Korea Republic team on top of Group G of the 2011 AFC Champions League.

Bunyodkor landed a decisive blow in the battle for Group C in the 2011 AFC Champions League after downing Piroozi 3-1 at the Azadi Stadium.

Anvar Rajabov put Bunyodkor in front with a thunderous finish on the hour mark before Hayrulla Karimov’s penalty nine minutes later, after substitute Alireza Mohamed had been sent off for hauling down Rajabov, doubled their advantage.

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal rallied from a two-goal deficit to pull off an incredible 3-2 victory over hosts Al Jazira in Wednesday’s 2011 AFC Champions League Group A clash.

Al Jazira stunned the Saudi giants with two quick goals towards the end of the first-half but Al Hilal regained their composure and pulled off a fine win to move a step closer to a second-round place with nine points from four games, the same as Iranian side Sepahan.

Amara Diane’s first-half goal saw Al Gharafa end Sepahan’s perfect record in the 2011 AFC Champions League and boost their flagging hopes of place in the knockout stage.

Al Ittihad became the first side to book their place in the last 16 of the 2011 AFC Champions League as a goalless draw with Al Wahda at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium gave them the point they needed to ensure they can finish no lower than second in Group C.

The result means the Saudis retain top spot with ten points, five points ahead of closest challengers Bunyodkor following the Uzbeks’ shock 3-1 win over Piroozi in Tehran. Al Wahda move ahead of the Iranians in third on three points with two matches left to play.

Yuzo Tashiro’s goal saw Kashima Antlers rescue a 1-1 draw with Suwon Samsung Bluewings in Group H of the 2011 AFC Champions League at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

Suwon went ahead in the 48th minute through Yeom Ki-hoon’s free-kick but Tashiro leveled for Kashima in the 55th minute.

Goals from Mu Kanazaki and Kensuke Nagai gave Nagoya Grampus a 2-0 win at FC Seoul to put the Japanese champions on top of Group F in the 2011 AFC Champions League.

After Kanazaki’s first-half opener, the Korea Republic title-holders threw everything at the visitors for much of an entertaining match but a defensive blunder late in the game allowed Nagai to make sure of a valuable three points.

A solitary goal from Esmaeil Farhadi gave Zob Ahan a 1-0 win over Al Rayyan at the Foolad Shahr Stadium to send last season’s runners-up top of 2011 AFC Champions League Group D and on the verge of a place in the last 16.

Egor Krimets’ header two minutes from time breathed new life into Pakhtakor’s 2011 AFC Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over Esteghlal at Pakhtakor Stadium.

An excellent last-gasp winner from Mark Bridge kept Sydney FC’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the 2011 AFC Champions League well and truly alive after they secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Shanghai Shenhua at Shanghai Hongkou Stadium.

Emirates stunned Al Shabab and blew Group D of the 2011 AFC Champions League wide open with a 2-1 victory at Emirates Club Stadium.

Hadj Bougueche scored twice as the second-tier UAE club recorded their second victory in this season’s competition to move ahead of Al Shabab – who beat them 4-1 two weeks ago in Saudi Arabia – and into second the table to give themselves every chance of reaching the last 16.

A brilliant strike by youngster Omar Abdulrahman helped hosts Al Ain beat China’s Hangzhou Greentown 1-0 and revives their chances of reaching the knockout stage of the 2011 AFC Champions League.

Victory for the inaugural AFC Champions League winners moved them level with Hangzhou and three points adrift of joint leaders FC Seoul and Nagoya Grampus to give Group F a wide open look with two rounds of matches to play.

FT – MELB VICTORY (AUS) v TIANJIN TEDA (CHN) (2 – 1)
FT – GAMBA OSAKA (JPN) v JEJU UNITED (KOR) (3 – 1)
FT – JEONBUK HYD MOTORS (KOR) v CEREZO OSAKA (JPN) (1 – 0)
FT – SHANDONG LNG FC (CHN) v AREMA MALANG (IDN) (5 – 0)

FT – AL GHARAFA (QAT) v SEPAHAN (IRN) (1 – 0)
FT – AL JAZIRA (UAE) v AL HILAL (KSA) (2 – 3)
FT – PIROOZI ATHLETIC (IRN) v BUNYODKOR (UZB) (1 – 3)
FT – AL ITTIHAD (KSA) v AL WAHDA (UAE) (0 – 0)

FT – AL NASSR (KSA) v AL SADD (QAT) (1- 1)
FT – FC SEOUL (KOR) v NAGOYA GRAMPUS (JPN) (0 – 2)
FT – SHANGHAI SHENHUA (CHN) v SYDNEY FC (AUS) (2 – 3)
FT – KASHIMA ANTLERS (JPN) v SUWON BLUEWINGS (KOR) (1 -1)
FT – AL AIN (UAE) v HANGZHOU GREETN (CHN) (1 – 0)
FT – EMIRATES (UAE) v AL SHABAB (KSA) (2 – 1)
FT – ZOBAHAN (IRN) v AL RAYYAN (QAT) (1- 0)
FT – PAKHTAKOR (UZB) v ESTEGHLAL (IRN) (2 – 1)

With all games in Match Day 4 of the AFC Champions League completed, two more teams have confirming their places in the Round of 16.

Seongnam Ilhwa made it four in a row in Group E to go through while Suwon Bluewings made sure of their advance in Group G.

Group A

Esteghlal, of Iran, drew 1-1 away to Qatar’s Al Gharafa and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli scored a 2-0 away win over Al Jazira.

Younis Mahmoud gave Gharafa a 1-0 lead before the interval but Mehdi Salehi equalised for the visitors on 58 minutes.

Match Day 4 Tuesday of the AFC Champions League 2010 resulted in some upsets and wake up calls for many teams that had a easy road so far.

Group B

Zob Ahan have managed 2 major upsets in a matter of weeks against the Uzbek aristocrats Bunyodkor on Tuesday.

They followed up their MD3 3-0 home victory with a 1-0 win that takes them to the top of the table with 10 points and sends Bunyodkor tumbling down to third, with six points.

FT – MELBOURNE VICTORY (AUS) vs KAWASAKI FRONTALE (JPN) (1 -0)
FT – GAMBA OSAKA (JPN) vs SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES (SIN) (3 – 0)
FT – SUWON SAMSUNG BLUEWINGS (KOR) vs HENAN JIANYE (CHN) (2 – 0)
FT – BEIJING GUOAN (CHN) vs SEONGNAM ILHWA FC (KOR) (0 – 1)
FT – FOOLAD MOBAREKEH SEPAHAN (IRN) vs PAKHTAKOR (UZB) (2 – 0)
FT – AL GHARAFA (QAT) vs ESTEGHLAL (IRN) (1 – 1)
FT – AL JAZIRA (UAE) vs AL AHLI (KSA) (0 – 2)
Ft – AL SHABAB (KSA) vs AL AIN (UAE) (3 – 2)

You didn’t have to wait long for Match Day 4. AFC Champions League is back after just one week this time round and there is plenty to play for once again as we have now just passed the half way mark of the Group stage. There are several teams that are ready to qualify for the knockout round. These include: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia, Group D), Al Sadd (Qatar, Group D), Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (Korea Republic, Group E), Kashima Antlers (Japan, Group F), Jeonbuk Motors (Korea Republic, Group F), Suwon …

Gamba Osaka booked their place in the second round of the Asian Champions League on Tuesday.
The defending champions won 3-0 playing away at Sriwijaya’s home ground to move onto 12 points in Group F.
The Kansai club are seven points clear of FC Seoul in third and are safely in the last 16.
In-form Brazilian striker Leandro opened the scoring in Palembang and subsequent goals from Hayato Sasaski and Cho Jae-jin sealed the win.
Seoul dominated their clash against Shandong Luneng and took the lead through a Park Yong-ho header midway through the …

J-League side Kawasaki Frontale have confirmed their place in the knockout stages of the 2009 Asian Champions League with a 2-1 home victory over the Central Coast Mariners.
In second place, Pohang Steelers failed to impress this time round and could only manage a scoreless draw away against Tianjin Teda.
That result means Takashi Sekizuka’s men will finish within the top two of their group, after edging out the Central Coast Mariners in Japan.
Two weeks ago the Japanese side thumped the Mariners in Gosford 5-0. This time round, Central Coast was more …