AFC: East Asia Round of 16

Four teams up and four teams through as Korea is the only country to do so, with no teams remaining from outside the top 3 leagues in East Asia. Jeonbuk Motors, Suwon Bluewings, FC Seoul Seongnam not only have all made it to the knock-out stages, but ironically all placed second and will avoid each other this round.

Jeonbuk Motors only needed a point last week against Shandong of China as their 3 points were still didn’t put them into the top of Group E. Their only loss was away to Kashiwa on April 22 and will play the winner of Group G, Beijing Guoan.

Group F couldn’t have gotten any tighter, or more depressing for Burriram United as they went undefeated for the first three matches, won their last but still lost out in a 3 way tie for first. Seongnam split home and away wins with both teams they tied with, but sneak through on tie breakers.

Two of Japan’s 4 teams finished top in their groups; in both Group E and Group F as Gamab Osaka edge past Suwon on differientals. However, they other two Japanese teams finished last in Group G (Urawa Reds) and Group H (Kashima Antlers).

Coming out of the 2015 Group of Death is FC Seoul and the top sead Gwangzhou Evergrande. The two teams that faced off in the finals in 2013 had to both fend off the 2014 Champions of Asia Sydney Wanderers.

AFC play resume later this month with realistic chances of the 4 teams making through to the final 8. Seongnam will have the fiercest opponents, but the advantage of surprise being their first ever match against the Chinese side. Jeonbuk and Beijing Guoan will also face off for the first time but will pair up the two K-League scoring leaders Lee Dong-gook and Dejan Damjanovic (former FC Seoul, Incheon United).

Suwon Bluewings will look to flip their results of the last time these two met, losing 2-6 at home in 2013 in the group stages. Seoul looks even further back for their last game against their opponents. The capital city team lost 4-5 over two games.

Tue

19/05/15

Jeonbuk Motors

19:00

Beijing Guoan

Tue

26/05/15

Beijing Guoan

20:30

Jeonbuk Motors

Tue

19/05/15