Castaignos was on target for Gyeongnam as they defeated Johor Darul Ta’zim 2-0 and his goal briefly meant, with Kashima trailing against Shandong Luneng in the other game in Group E on Wednesday, that the K League side was on track to advance to the Round of 16.

But with defending champions staging a comeback to win 2-1 to join the Chinese Super League side in the Round of 16, the efforts of the Dutchman and his teammates turned out to be in vain.

Gyeongnam finished the group phase of the Continental championship with eight points in third place in Group E, two adrift of Kashima Antlers after the Japanese side’s 2-1 win over Shandong Luneng ensured the holders take second place in the group and advance to the last 16.

Shandong top the final standings while JDT finished bottom as they proved unable to add to their four-point haul.

Marouane Fellaini gave Shandong the lead 11 minutes into the game and Kashima looked to be heading for the exit until Ito’s intervention from the bench in the last quarter of the game gave the holders all three points to seal second place in Group E.

The result means Kashima will take on fellow J.League side Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the last 16 next month while Shandong finish top of the group, despite the defeat, and will take on fellow Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande in the next round.

Needing a win to secure a place in the last 16, Oscar’s first-half brace calmed any nerves among the Chinese Super League champions, before Li Shenglong added a third – his first-ever goal in the competition – to effectively secure the three points and qualification.

Oscar grabbed his hat-trick soon after and Hu Jinghang rounded off the scoring late on as Shanghai progressed to the knockout rounds for the fourth successive year and Li was left with a night to remember.

The K League side were unable to break down Buriram’s well-organised back line throughout the 90 minutes at Jeonju World Cup Stadium, but the result mattered little as Morais and his team had already guaranteed themselves top spot in the group.

A pacey and clinical striker at his peak, Majidi was a key member of the Al Ain side that lifted the inaugural AFC Champions League in 2002-03.

In the semi-final against China PR’s Dalian Shide, Al Ain had won the first leg at home 4-2, but the Chinese side had clawed the difference, winning 4-2 in Dalian. That is until Majidi received the ball on the edge of the area, dribbled past one defender and finished into the bottom corner to send his side to the final with a 7-6 aggregate score.

The 39-year-old midfield genius, who helped Spain win the World Cup in 2010 and won four UEFA Champions League titles and eight La Liga titles with Barcelona, was cheered by fans at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran where already-eliminated Persepolis produced an improved display to register only their second win in six matches.