While the margin of victory was comfortable for the Japanese side in the end, the game was finely poised for long spells and on another day things could well have gone very differently.

Both teams struggled to come to terms with the snowy conditions at Suwon World Cup Stadium, but as the half wore on Suwon adapted best and took control of the play-off match, with new signing Dejan Damjanovic rattling the crossbar.

Waguininho then missed a gilt-edged chance, but the breakthrough finally came as half-time approached when Lim found Waguininho in space in the box, and the Brazilian made no mistake from close range, before Lim doubled Suwon’s lead with the last kick of the first half.

The Brazilian got the ball rolling for the home side, converting from close range after a Junya Ito cut-back in the 51st minute, before making it 2-0 with his second after a wonderful run 11 minutes later.

Ito then made sure of Kashiwa’s fourth AFC Champions League appearance with a cool finish from inside the area in the 89th minute.

The Filipino club started the brighter at Tianjin Olympic Sports Center Stadium and had the best chance of the early exchanges when Stephan Schrock’s volley was well saved by Zhang Lu.

But against the run of play it was the home side who took the lead after 18 minutes. Axel Witsel’s shot from the edge of the box could only be palmed out for a corner, from which Modeste towered above the Ceres defence to smash home a powerful header.