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Sydney, Melbourne to last 16; Guangzhou, Suwon out

Xinhua, May 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

GUANGZHOU, China, May 3 (Xinhua) - Sydney FC advanced to the AFC Champions League Round of 16 as Group H winners despite a 1-0 defeat to Guangzhou Evergrande on Tuesday.

With Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds tied Pohang Steelers 1-1 at home , Sydney FC manage to top the group by a point over Diamonds.

Gao Lin' s goal in the second minute was enough for the defending champions to claim a third place in their group, the worst result in five years since they began to participate in the Champions League in 2012.

The home side opened the scoring with only 90 seconds into the game as Li Xuepeng' s left-wing cross was guided into the bottom corner by Gao' s first-time volley.

The Australian side had very few chances for most of the time in the game and their efforts in the last 10 minutes was denied by Guangzhou' s keeper Liu Dianzuo, who made his debut for Guangzhou.

In Group G, two-time Asian champions Suwon Samsung Bluewings missed out on a place in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League despite beating Shanghai SIPG 3-0 at home. Shanghai SIPG has already qualified for last 16 as group winner before the match.

With Australian side Melbourne Victory beating Japan' s Gamba Osaka 2-1 at home, Suwon missed out due to having conceded an away goal in the 1-1 draw between themselves and the A-League side earlier in the campaign as the pair finished level on points.

Kim Gun-gee opened scoring in the seventh minute to gift Suwan a 1-0 lead in the first half.

Min Sang-gi added another in the 52nd minute while Kim scored his second three minutes later to clinch the victory for the home side. Endit