ACL Wrap: Japanese duo progress along with Persepolis, while Jeonbuk crash out

May 15, 2012 11:59:00 PM

Goal.com rounds up all the exciting action from Tuesday's sixth matchday of the Asian Champions League fixtures as they happen all around the continent...

Nagoya Grampus 3-0 Central Coast

Match Report

Jeonbuk Motors 0-2 Kashiwa Reysol

The Japanese champions have qualified for the Round of 16 after an impressive 2-0 victory on the road to last season's beaten finalists Jeonbuk who have crashed out at the group stage.

After a goalless first-half, Junya Tanaka combined with Leandro Domingues to put the Japanese ahead four minutes into the second 45. The same pair combined again just past the hour mark for the second with Tanaka following up this time from close range to send the ACL first-timers into the knockout phase.

Tianjin Teda 0-3 Seongnam Ilhwa

The 2010 Asian champions clinched top spot in Group G with a comfortable 3-0 victory in front of an empty stadium at Tianjin Teda, who had a supporter ban placed on them by the AFC.

Following Nagoya's 3-0 win over Central Coast, Seongnam knew any kind of victory would be enough for them to top the group and claim a home Round of 16 game and they started well with young starlet Yoon Bit-Garam putting them ahead on 33 minutes.

The sometimes-maligned Serbian striker Vladimir Jovancic added a second on 49 minutes before converting from the spot on 68 minutes for the third to seal a big win.

Buriram United 1-2 Guangzhou Evergrande

Match Report

Sepahan 2-1 Al Ahli

Newly-crowned Iranian champions Sepahan have finished top of Group C after a hard-fought victory over Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ahli.

Xhevair Sukaj netted the opener on 19 minutes, where the goalscorer may have been offside before firing in a low shot, while he appeared to double his tally later in the half only to be disallowed this time.

The visitors, who were without key men such as Taisir Al Jassim, Victor Simoes and Marcelo Camacho, would level on 63 minutes through Oman international Amad Al Hosni's powerful effort but defender Mohsen Bengar popped up in attack for an 87th-minute winner from Mahdi Jafarpour's cross for ensure the Iranians gained home ground advantage in the Round of 16 where they are likely to face compatriots Esteghlal.

Lekhwiya 1-2 Al Nasr

Former World Cup winner Luca Toni played his part with the decisive assist as Walter Zenga's Al Nasr finished a disappointing ACL campaign on a positive note with an away win over Lekhwiya in Qatar.

With both sides already eliminated there was little riding on the game except pride, but Lekhwiya fired ahead early thanks the combination of Ivory Coast pair Bakari Kone and Lassina Diaby, with the latter netting on 39 minutes.

However, the game turned on its head in three dramatic minutes, as Al Nasr's own Ivorian Amara Diane levelled on 56 minutes, before Toni set up Humaid Abdulla Abbas for what would turn out to be the winner two minutes later.

Al Shabab 1-3 Persepolis

Match Report

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<td style="text-align: center; width: 40%; background-color: #e93420;" valign="top"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #ffffff;">Rayo Vallecano 4-2 Racing Santander<br /></span></strong></span></td>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Rayo Vallecano recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat 10-man Racing Santander at Vallecas as they moved, temporarily, to within three points of a Champions League spot. <br /><br />Racing's goalkeeper, Tono, was sent off inside five minutes after bringing down Diego Costa, leaving the visitors with an uphill struggle. Somehow they managed to open up a two-goal advantage, though, thanks to strikes from <strong>Marc Torrejon</strong> and <strong>Gonzalo Cosla</strong> in the opening 20 minutes.<br /><br />Rayo were shocked into action and took a foothold in the game when <strong>Michu </strong>netted prior to the break. And in a 10-minute second-half spell they put the game beyond doubt with three quickfire goals. <strong>Michu </strong>bagged his second of the match, before <strong>Raul Tamudo</strong> and<strong> Piti </strong>consigned a deflated Racing to defeat.</div>
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<td style="text-align: center; width: 40%; background-color: #e93420;" valign="top"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #ffffff;">Getafe 1-3 Malaga</span></strong></span><br /></td>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Eliseu Pereira inspired Malaga to victory but they had to come from a goal behind to beat Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Saturday.<br /><br />Maunel Pellegrini's men trailed to <strong>Diego Castro</strong>'s first-half strike before <strong>Eliseu's</strong> introduction after the break. The Portuguese netted the equaliser in the 57th minute before assisting <strong>Jeremy Toulalan</strong>'s<strong> </strong>strike that put Malaga ahead. <br /><br />The win was sealed in the dying minutes of the game when <strong>Santi Cazorla</strong> unleashed an unstoppable drive from distance as the visitors maintained their push for European football next season.</div>
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<td style="text-align: center; width: 40%; background-color: #e93420;" valign="top"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #ffffff;">Mallorca 1-1 Osasuna</span></strong></span><br /></td>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Osasuna's European hopes were dealt a blow by Mallorca, who rescued a point at the Iberostar Stadium, helping the islanders to climb further away from the drop zone. <br /><br />The visitors had been on course for only their second away win of the season after <strong>Alvaro Cejudo</strong>'s strike just before the break, only to be denied by Mallorca after the interval. With less than 20 minutes remaining, <strong>Emilio Nsue</strong> rose highest to meet Sergio Tejera's corner, and direct his header past Andres Fernandez. <br /><br />Osasuna were guilty of missing chances to re-establish their advantage in the closing stages of the game, and consequently now find themselves two points adrift of the Champions League spots.</div>
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<td style="text-align: center; width: 40%; background-color: #e93420;" valign="top"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #ffffff;">Barcelona 3-1 Sporting Gijon<br /></span></strong></span></td>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://u.goal.com/171100/171148_hp.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="230" /><br /><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><a href="http://www.goal.com/en/match/63164/fc-barcelona-vs-sporting-de-gijon/report">Match Report</a> | <a href="http://www.goal.com/en/match/63164/fc-barcelona-vs-sporting-de-gijon/player-ratings">Player Ratings </a></strong></span></div>
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<td style="text-align: center; width: 40%; background-color: #e93420;" valign="top"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #ffffff;">Sevilla 1-1 Atletico Madrid</span></strong></span><br /></td>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://u.goal.com/146000/146009_hp.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="230" /><br /><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goal.com/en/match/63165/sevilla-vs-atletico-madrid/report"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Match Report</strong></span></a></div>
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<td style="text-align: center; width: 40%; background-color: #e93420;" valign="top"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #ffffff;">Zaragoza 2-1 Villarreal</span></strong></span><br /></td>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Villarreal surrendered a slender lead five minutes from time against Zaragoza before Abraham Minero netted an injury-time winner to boost the home side's hopes of Primera Division survival this season.<br /><br />The Yellow Submarine took a deserved lead in the 16th minute when Nilmar and Javier Camunas combined brilliantly to give <strong>Alejandro Martinuccio</strong> the simplest of finishes and net his first goal for Villarreal. <br /><br />Zaragoza were fortunate not to fall further behind prior to <strong>Luis Garcia</strong>'s<strong> </strong>equaliser in the 85th minute with an exquisite volley from the edge of the area. <strong>Abraham</strong> then completed the late turnaround with a goal in injury time to secure an unlikely three points for the Aragonese outfit, who remain bottom of the table.</div>
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<td style="text-align: center; width: 40%; background-color: #e93420;" valign="top"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #ffffff;">Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Real Sociedad<br /></span></strong></span></td>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Athletic Bilbao claimed the bragging rights in the Basque derby and continued their assault on European football thanks to a 2-0 win over regional rivals Real Sociedad on Sunday, but the result came with some controversy.<br /><br /><strong>Markel Susaeta</strong> finished a clinical move from the home side with Andoni Iraola and Ander Herrera involved in the build-up before the latter put the midfielder clear. <br /><br />Sociedad thought they were level within minutes of falling behind when Carlos Vela's effort clearly crossed the line, but the Mexican's strike was not given. Marcelo Bielsa's side continued to hold on for much of the match until <strong>Susaeta </strong>netted his second of the match with a curling free-kick late on.</div>
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Al Hilal 2-1 Al Gharafa

Saudi giants Al Hilal clinched top spot in Group D with a solid home victory over Qatari outfit Al Gharafa.

After a goalless first-half where Ahmed Al Fraidi had a goal disallowed for offside, the hosts broke the deadlock three minutes after the interval. South Korean striker Yoo Byung-Soo played in Al Fraidi for a simple opener on 48 minutes. Nawaf Al Abid made it 2-0 on 65 minutes rounding the keeper for an easy finsih, before the visitors earned some consolation when Anderlecht-bound defender Osama Hawsawi scored an own goal with eight minutes to play after a mix-up with goalkeeper Hasan Al Otaibi to set up a tense finale.

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