SEOUL, South Korea—Australia is desperately hoping to have at least one club reach the second round of the Asian Champion League, while Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Japan enter their final group matches with the chance that all four of their teams could advance.
Thirty-two teams have completed five games in the first round. Nine are already out of the running to progress to the knockout stage, while ten have booked their places leaving much to play for.
That is true even for teams that have secured their spots because finishing top of the group ensures a home tie in the one-legged second round. qualify for the last 16.
Group E is one of the closest, with five points separating Tianjin Teda of China, the only team from that nation to be sure of a place in the last 16, and Melbourne Victory in fourth.
The Australians need to win at Jeju United of South Korea and hope that Tianjin win at Gamba Osaka in Japan. Gamba will qualify with three points while Jeju will move into second with a win and a Gamba failure to win.
“It’s up to us. We freshen up, go to South Korea and attack again,” Melbourne’s caretaker coach Mehmet Durakovic said after his team drew 1-1 with Osaka last week.
“We’ve got to go there and get the three points. Whatever happens is out of our hands. We’ll go over there, attack and do what we need to do.”
“The luck hasn’t been with us in the Champions League,” Melbourne midfielder Grant Brebner said. “It’s going to be tough (against Jeju because) we can’t have a draw. It’s going to be a good test this game. Jeju have to win as well so it’s going to be a big match and I’m pretty confident we can get a good victory over there.”
Jeju coach Park Kyong-hoon feels the same.
“We know what we have to do and that is win,” Park said. “We did that in Melbourne earlier in the competition and we do everything we can to do so in front of our own fans and then see what happens.”
Jeju will be without striker Shin Yong-rok, who collapsed during Sunday’s K-League win over Daegu FC. The former international has yet to regain consciousness.
Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors has already qualified, but there is a showdown for second place between Chinese champion Shandong Luneng and Cerezo Osaka. The Japanese team is at home and needs just a draw.
“I think we still have hope,” Shandong coach Branko Ivankovic said. “What we need to do is to beat Cerezo Osaka in Japan … We should focus on the last match and go all out for a win.”
Even in groups where both the top two are sure of a second-round spot, there are still subplots. If Suwon Bluewings finish in their current position on top of Group H and FC Seoul stays in second in Group F, the two bitter South Korean rivals will meet in the next stage.
Seoul caretaker coach Choi Yong-soo is unable to stop himself thinking about the game.
“Our players would have a strong will to win that game,” Choi said. “If we played Suwon, then we absolutely could not lose.”
Over in the western half of the tournament, Saudi Arabia is also looking for a full house of last 16 participants for the second time in three seasons.
The nation’s exploits were overshadowed in Tehran last week. Fans of Iranian club Persepolis clashed with police during the game with Al Ittihad of Jeddah after shouting their opposition to Saudi support for the Bahraini crackdown on anti-government demonstrators.
With two Saudi Arabian clubs in Iran for the final match this week, there is the potential for more protests.
Two-time champion Al Ittihad is already through, as is Group C rival Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan. Al Nassr of Riyadh needs to avoid defeat against Iranian giants Esteghlal to join Qatar’s Al Sadd in progressing from Group B.
In Group A, Al Hilal can afford to lose by a single goal at home to Al Gharafa of Qatar and still go through while Al Shabab need just a draw at Group D winner and 2010 finalist Zob Ahan of Iran to advance.