Former FC Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho is no stranger to the grandest of stages with FIFA World Cup campaigns and UEFA Champions League appearances in his career so far.

And, indeed, Paulinho memorably announced himself to Asia's football fans with an incredible goal in the 2015 AFC Champions League quarter-finals.

So it may have come as little surprise that on Tuesday night he was once more of pivotal importance to Guangzhou.

The Italian’s team needed a penalty shootout to book their place in the last eight after Shandong overturned Guangzhou’s 2-1 first leg advantage to take the game into extra-time, where both teams found the net again before penalties were required.

And with Zhong Yihao scoring in the sixth round of spot-kicks after Liu Dianzuo had saved Cui Peng’s effort for Shandong, Guangzhou saw off their compatriots having exited the competition at the hands of Shanghai SIPG and Tianjin Quanjian in each of the last two seasons.

Zhong’s successful spot-kick came after Cui Peng had seen his effort saved by goalkeeper Liu Dianzuo and earned Guangzhou a 6-5 shootout win after the two-legged Round of 16 tie had ended in a 4-4 aggregate draw at the completion of extra time, with Shandong's dramatic 3-2 second leg win ultimately in vain.

Doi’s brace at Hiroshima Athletic Stadium proved decisive as the defending champions advanced to the last eight despite a spirited effort from hosts Sanfrecce who scored three times themselves to win 3-2 on the night, if not on aggregate.

Kashima progressed after the tie ended in a 3-3 draw, with Doi’s two goals at Hiroshima Athletic Stadium proving decisive as the holders advanced to last eight against a Hiroshima side that played the final 16 minutes with 10 men following goalkeeper Hirotsugu Nakabayashi’s sending off.

Kashima looked to be on track for a comfortable evening when Doi put them in front 12 minutes before the end of the first half but – inspired by second half substitute Patric – Hiroshi Jofuku’s side almost found a way through.

Ewerton added a third late in the game as the 2007 and 2017 winners overturned a 2-1 first leg loss at Saitama Stadium 2002 to secure a remarkable comeback and become the second Japanese side to advance to the last eight, 24 hours after Kashima Antlers achieved the same feat.

Oscar netted in the final round of penalties to give SIPG the win after Lee Dong-gook had seen his spot-kick saved by Yan Junling as Vitor Pereira’s side joined compatriots Guangzhou Evergrande in the last eight.

SIPG progressed after the second leg ended in a 1-1 draw at the end of 90 minutes, with Hulk cancelling out Kim Shin-wook’s opener for Jeonbuk to leave the tie level 2-2 on aggregate, with 30 minutes of extra time unable to separate the teams.