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Adelaide United appear set for a showdown with Chinese champs Changchun Yatai to determine who advances to the Asian Champions League quarter-finals.
United thrashed Vietnamese side Binh Duong 4-1 last night in Adelaide to steal two points ahead of Changchun Yatai, held to a 2-2 draw by Korea’s Pohang Steelers.
Two matches remain to determine which club progresses to the knockout stage, with United to face the Koreans next start while Changchun play the Vietnamese easybeats, who are yet to win or draw a game in the competition.
Adelaide and Changchun then meet in China on May 21 in a final round fixture looming as the decider of their group E.
Melbourne Victory’s hopes of advancing were snuffed last night by a 2-0 loss to Gamba Osaka in Japan.
Victory coach Ernie Merrick lamented poor finishing, in contrast to his Adelaide counterpart Aurelio Vidmar who watched the Reds put four goals past the hapless Binh Duong.
Adelaide captain Travis Dodd scored twice with Lucas Pantelis and Diego also claiming goals in a result which improved Adelaide’s goal difference advantage over Changchun to four.
Adelaide’s victory was established by a virtuoso performance from Nathan Burns, the 19-year-old star setting up the Reds’ initial three goals within a six minute purple patch in the second half.
“We knew once the first one would go in, then we’d get a couple and that is exactly what happened,” Vidmar said.
In other groups, Beijing Guoan kept their quarter-final hopes alive with a crucial 1-0 victory over Japan’s Kashima Antlers which left the two clubs equal at the top of Group F.
Group A is led by Uzbekistan’s Kuruvchi, three points ahead of Saudi side Al Ittihad.
Iranian club Sapia are three points above nearest challengers Al Quwa Al Jawiya in group B, while Syria’s Al Karama head group C by five points and appear set to progress.
Al Qadsia from Kuwait top group D, three points ahead of Pakhtakor from Uzbekistan, and Japan’s Gamba Osaka appear set to win group G – they currently have a five-point leader over second-placed Chonburi from Thailand.
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