Gamba Osaka set up last 16 meeting with city rivals Cerezo
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Midfielder Hayato Sasaki (centre) featured as 2008 AFC Champions League winners Gamba Osaka beat China’s Tianjin Teda 2-0 on Wednesday to set-up a derby meeting with Cerezo Osaka in the last 16 later this month. |
Former champions Gamba Osaka set-up an AFC Champions League last 16 meeting with city rivals Cerezo after both qualified for the knockout stage alongside Saudi trio Al Hilal, Al Shabab and Al Nassr this week.
Gamba claimed top spot in Group E and crucial home advantage in the one-off last 16 encounter after beating China's Tianjin Teda 2-0 on Wednesday to complete a clean sweep for Japan. Kashima Antlers and Nagoya Grampus had already secured passage to the next round before this week's final round of group matches.
With Al Hilal, Al Shabab and Al Nassr also making it through on Matchday Six, Saudi Arabia also have four representatives in the next phase after two-time champions Al Ittihad were the first to secure their place in the knockout stage earlier this month.
And in another intriguing tie, Group C winners Al Ittihad will entertain Saudi champions Al Hilal, while Al Shabab travel to Qatar to face Al Sadd and Al Nassr face a daunting trip to Iran to face last year's runners-up Zobahan.
Sepahan and Bunyodkor complete the last 16 line-up in the West with the Uzbekistan champions travelling to Iran, with all eight ties to be played on either Tuesday May 24 or Wednesday May 25 ahead of September's quarter-finals, which will be played over two legs.
In the East, China's sole representative Tianjin Teda must travel to Korea to face 2006 champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors after conceding top spot in Group E to Gamba.
K-League champions FC Seoul claimed first place in Group F after sharing a 1-1 draw in China with Hangzhou Greentown on Wednesday to set-up a last 16 meeting with Japan's Kashima.
Japanese champions Nagoya, meanwhile, will travel to Korea to face Group H winners Suwon Samsung Bluewings after losing 3-1 at Al Ain on Wednesday to open the door for FC Seoul.
With Tianjin already sure of qualification for the first time from Group E but with top spot still up for grabs, a free-kick from Japan international Yasuhito Endo opened the scoring for Gamba before substitute Takashi Usami's stoppage-time penalty settled the contest at Expo '70 Stadium.
"I am feeling relieved as we got through this stage,"said Gamba manager Akira Nishino. "It was a game we played with a lot of extra pressure.
"It's a pity that we now have to play against a Japanese side but we focused on nothing but winning the group. I will think about how to play them a little later.”
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