TOKYO : Two-time champions Urawa Red Diamonds and Thailand’s BG Pathum United recorded comprehensive wins on Friday over Johor Darul Tazim and Kitchee respectively to confirm their places in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League.
Urawa handed Malaysian champions JDT a 5-0 thumping, with David Moberg Karlsson scoring twice in the first half after Alexander Scholz’s opener from the penalty spot as Ricardo Rodriguez’s side eased into the next round.
BG Pathum United were also in impressive form as they downed Kitchee 4-0 at Urawa Komaba Stadium in the Hong Kong club’s first-ever appearance in the competition’s knockout rounds.
A mistake by Wang Zhenpeng gifted Worachit Kanitsribumphen the Thai side’s opener in the 34th minute when the goalkeeper misread Sarach Yooyen’s punt forward from inside his own half and the midfielder rolled the ball into an unguarded net.
Five minutes later BG Pathum United doubled their lead through Ikhsan Fandi, who left the Kitchee midfield in his wake before smashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner from outside the area.
Teerasil Dangda added the third from close range with a quarter of the game remaining and Chatmongkol Tongkiri put the seal on the result with three minutes to go when he slotted the ball through Wang’s legs.
Urawa were in imperious form at Saitama Stadium in front of more than 20,000 of their own fans, with Scholz giving the 2006 and 2016 champions the perfect start when he converted from the spot in the eighth minute.
Karlsson doubled the lead 11 minutes later with a bending, dipping left-foot free kick from 25 yards that left goalkeeper Farizal Marlias with little hope.
The Swede struck again six minutes before the interval as he stroked in Yoshio Koizumi’s cutback to put the game beyond the reach of the Malaysians before the interval.
Substitute Kasper Junker added the fourth six minutes from time when he put his low shot low to Farizal’s left and he was on target again in stoppage time to complete the rout.
Urawa and BG Pathum join South Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors and Japanese side Vissel Kobe in the draw for the eastern quarter-final matches, which will be made on Saturday.
The matches in the next round will be played on Monday with the semi-final to be held on Thursday.
Games involving teams in the west of Asia will be held in early February next year with the final played on a home-and-away basis on Feb. 19 and 26.
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