AFC Champions League (East Asia) Mini-Update

The round of 16 for the East Asian side of the AFC Champions League is in the books. Pohang Steelers and FC Seoul advance to the quarterfinals, along with Western Sydney Wanderers and Guangzhou Evergrande. The draw will be held on May 28 (coincidentally the same day as the friendly against Tunisia), and the actual matches will be in August (1st leg on the 20th and return legs on the 27th). There are no country protection rules or seedings, so any of the four teams can play any one (in their region).

Results
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Mini-Recaps

• Jeonbuk’s hopes of a comeback were dashed early as Kim Seung-Dae scored in the 6′, and then Choi Bo-Kyung was sent off in the 36′.
• FC Seoul hung on to defeat Kawasaki Frontale 4-4 (3-2 on away goals). Escudero scored early for Seoul (8′), but Kawasaki pulled one back through Kobayashi Yu in the 29′. Kawasaki had a glimmer of hope as Morishima Yusuhito scored in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough.
• Guangzhou cruised following their massive 1st leg away win over Cerezo.
• Western Sydney Wanderers pulled off their comeback win, defeating Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Sydney 2-0. Their precious away goal from the 1st leg proving the difference. Substitute Shannon Cole scored early in the second half, and Brendon Santalab scored the decisive second goal late.

Notes

• Along with Saudi Arabia, Korea has the most teams in the quarterfinals (2).
• Strange coincidence? In the East region, all four teams that played the 1st leg away advanced.
• All three Japanese teams were eliminated in the round of 16.
• Kwak Tae-Hwi (Al Hilal), Lee Jung-Soo (Al Sadd), and Kim Young-Gwon (Guangzhou Evergrande) are the other Koreans left in the competition not playing for a Korean team.
• There is no real favorable draw for the Korean sides. You either face another K League team, the defending champions, or have to make the long journey to Australia.