Kashima Antlers of Japan reached the last 16 of the Asian Champions League last night after drawing 1-1 with Shanghai Shenhua at Hongkou Stadium.

Shenhua was knocked out after Suwon Samsung Bluewings of South Korea advanced with a 3-1 win over Singapore Armed Forces.

Mark Milligan scored in the eighth minute for the Chinese Super League team before Marcos Gomes De Araujo Marquinhos equalized for the Japanese visitors in the 30th.

In Suwon, with the South Korean champion facing the last-place team in Group G, it was assumed that the win would be routine for Suwon. It was anything but. Had the S-League team taken its chances, the result could have been different.

Bae Ki-jong scored early and Lee Sang-ho at the end of the first half. In between came a goal from Armed Forces striker Alexander Duric.

Seo Dong-hyun ended the contest with a late penalty.

In Kawasaki, Japan, South Korea's Pohang Steelers defeated Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 to finish atop Group H.

Home advantage

Both teams had already qualified for the knockout stage of the tournament but the away win means that Pohang secured home advantage for the round of 16.

Pohang finished unbeaten and with 12 points, two clear of Kawasaki.

In the other Group H match in Gosford, Australia, Mao Biao scored in the 65th minute to give Tianjin Teda a 1-0 win over Central Coast Mariners and third place in the group.

Mao finished off a counterattacking raid with a strong individual run and a left-foot shot inside the near post.

The Australian team had almost 70 percent of possession and had 19 shots on goal, but only two on target.

The result had no impact on the standings, with both teams already out of contention.

Central Coast was aiming for its first win after two draws and three losses, while Tianjin rested all of its national team players and most of its foreign imports.

The Chinese club finished the tournament with two wins, two draws and two losses.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily May 20, 2009)