Two goals from Yoshizumi Ogawa helped Nagoya Grampus to a comfortable 4-1 victory over Ulsan Hyundai and sealed top spot in Group E of the Asian Champions League.
Yuki Maki and Davi also found the net for the hosts while Kim Shin-wook’s goal three minutes before the break proved a mere consolation for Ulsan.
Playing on a wet pitch at Mizuho Track and Field Stadium, the J.League team went ahead in the 14th minute. Nagoya forward Maki headed Shohei Abe’s cross towards Ogawa at the far post and the midfielder nodded home from close range.
The hosts doubled their advantage nine minutes later. Ogawa drove down the left flank to the byline and delivered a cross that Maki headed in at the near post.
Ulsan pulled a goal back in the 42nd minute when Kim Shin-wook rose highest to meet Hyun Young-min’s free-kick and haul the Koreans back into the contest.
The visitors pushed for an equaliser and Cho Jin-soo diverted Kim Shin-wook’s header goalwards only to see it hit a Nagoya player and go wide.
But Nagoya extended its lead in the 59th minute when Davi was first to Abe’s free-kick and headed home at the near post.
Nagoya boss Stojkovic brought on forward Keiji Tamada soon after and the Japan international had a hand in his side’s fourth goal in the 72nd minute.
Tamada’s free-kick found Maki and he laid the ball off for Ogawa, who fired home into the left corner as Nagoya clinched a place in the knockout phase.
Shandong Luneng suffered a setback in its bid to reach the last 16 of the Asian Champions League as Leandro’s second-half goal maintained 10-man Gamba Osaka’s perfect record in Group F.
Gamba had playmaker Yasuhito Endo dismissed before half-time but Leandro struck for the J.League side, which continues to mount a sterling defence of its Asian Champions League crown, at Shandong Sports Stadium.
The result leaves Shandong level on points with FC Seoul and needing to beat Srwijaya in its last game to progress to the knockout stage.
Gamba held the upper hand over a low-key opening 45 minutes and Cho Jae-jin tested Shandong keeper Li Leilei from distance.
But it was dealt a blow in stoppage-time when Endo was shown a second yellow card for fouling Cui Peng.
It gave Shandong renewed impetus and Yuan Weiwei came close to breaking the deadlock for the Chinese side when he beat Sota Nakazawa and Park Dong-hyuk inside the box but Naoki Matsuyo turned away his shot.
Gamba then took the lead after 58 minutes when Leandro collected Park Dong-hyuk’s pass inside the box and the Brazilian forward beat Li.
The visitors were then content to sit back but Shandong struggled to create anything of note, their best chance falling to Han Peng two minutes before the end when he outjumped Leandro but headed Lu Zheng’s inviting cross over the bar.
Al Hilal joined Group A leader Pakhtakor in the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League as Tareq El Taib’s free-kick sealed a narrow 1-0 victory over Saba Battery and secured second spot.
El Taib found the back of the net three minutes before the break at Yadegar-e-Emam Stadium to end the hosts’ slim hopes of making it through to the last 16.
Nassir Al Shamrani converted a late penalty to send Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia through to the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Al Gharafa.
Al Gharafa had battled with only 10 men for much of the contest at the King Fahad International Stadium in Riyadh after the first-half dismissal of midfielder Ahmed Fares, but Al Shamrani’s stoppage-time strike meant that the Qatari club finished last in Group B and missed out on the last 16.
Pakhtakor remains top of Group A after the Uzbekistan side eased to a comfortable 2-0 win over Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates at Pakhtakor Stadium.
Zaynitdin Tadjiyev opened the scoring in the 38th minute before substitute Alexander Geynrikh sealed the win 12 minutes into the second half.
