Urawa overcame a 2-1 first leg deficit to seal a 4-2 aggregate win over the club from Korea Republic, with Shinzo Koroki scoring twice for the Japanese side.

And with Ewerton adding a third two minutes from time, the 2007 and 2017 AFC Champions League winners advanced to the last eight of the competition for the fourth time in the club’s history after a superb display at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium.

Down 2-1 from the first leg in Saitama Stadium, Urawa looked to face a tough task at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium where their hosts were yet to concede in the 2019 tournament and had won five in a row on the continent.

Moreover, Urawa hadn't won a knockout round match away from home since their first title-winning campaign in 2007.

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.

Hulk was in inspirational form as SIPG prevailed against Jeonbuk, picking up the Most Valuable Player award as Vitor Pereira’s side eventually progressed to the last eight via a penalty shootout.

And while his compatriot Oscar scored the winning spot-kick following the 2-2 aggregate draw between the sides, it was Hulk who regularly rampaged through the K League team and who could have sealed Shanghai’s progress both in regular and extra-time.

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.

Last year’s winners had a pair of goals from Shoma Doi to thank for their win on the away goals rule that ensured the game ended in a 3-3 draw at the end of the two legs, and Oiwa was happy Kashima will be in the draw for the last eight in Kuala Lumpur on July 2.

“The most important point about today’s game is that we are now through to the next round,” he said.

“I know everyone will have different views about all that transpired during the match, but I hope we can build on this and regroup for our next J.League game against Hiroshima, then the quarter-finals.”

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.