Nagoya Grampus became the fourth Japanese team to make the last 16 of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, while Newcastle Jets kept Australian hopes alive. Yoshizumi Ogawa scored twice as Nagoya beat South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai 4-1, ensuring they secured top spot in Group E with 11 points from five games, five ahead of Ulsan and Newcastle, who eased past Beijing Guoan 2-1.
Defending champions Gamba Osaka, who kept their 100 percent record intact with a 1-0 win over China's Shandong Luneng, have already qualified for the knockout stage, along with Kawasaki Frontale and Kashima Antlers. Saudi Arabia's Ettifaq and Uzbek giants Pakhtakor are also through. Ogawa set the wheels in motion for Nagoya with a header after 14 minutes, with Yuki Maki and Davi also on target before Ogawa completed the rout 18 minutes from time. The top-placed team in each of the eight groups will play at home against one of the second-placed sides in the one-leg round of 16, which will be held in the west zone on May 27 and the east zone on June 24.