A hat trick from Shim Dong-woon gave Pohang Steelers a 3-0 win over Hanoi T&T and a place in Group H of the 2016 AFC Champions League at the Steelyard Stadium Tuesday. The Vietnamese visitors lost 7-0 at the same stage to FC Seoul last year but on their return to the Korea Republic gave Pohang a tough time for much of the playoff for the tournament proper before the three-time continental champion eventually ran out comfortable winner. Pohang now takes its place in the group stage where it will face defending champion Guangzhou Evergrande of China, 2007 winner Urawa Reds of Japan and Australia's Sydney FC. In Adelaide, goals from Yang Xu and Diego Tardelli gave Shandong Luneng a 2-1 win over Adelaide United to book its place in Group F. A late goal from Sergio Cirio for Adelaide made for an exciting ending in front of 8,487 at Hindmarsh Stadium, but the home side could not find a second to force the match into extra time. In an open and attacking first half, Adelaide United had the first chance of the night when defender Dylan McGowan attempted to poke home the ball from a goal line scramble, but his shot was cleared off the line by Dai Lin. Adelaide was left to rue its missed opportunity three minutes later when it turned the ball over in midfield, allowing Argentine international Walter Montillo to glide past two defenders and fire a shot at Eugene Galekovic, which he could only palm into the path of China forward Yang who headed home into an open net. Bruce Djite tested Shandong goalkeeper Wang Dalei with a fierce volley midway through the first half, but the China custodian made an easy save. Shandong doubled its lead five minutes from half time, with Montillo heavily involved again. The home side was awarded a penalty with less than 10 minutes remaining after referee Minoru Tojo judged Zhao Mingjian to have handled the ball in the box, but Carrusca smashed his spot kick against the bar. Cirio's glancing header in the final minute of normal time made for a nervy ending for Shandong, with Adelaide coming close to finding an equalizer, but the four-time Chinese league champion held on the secure a 2-1 victory. In Tokyo, FC Tokyo made sure it will make its second appearance in the AFC Champions League group stage after thumping Thai side Chonburi 9-0 in the final round of qualifying. Rodrigo Vergilio's own-goal put the club from the Japanese capital in front after just six minutes and it needed just three minutes more to double its tally through Takuma Abe before Keigo Higashi netted a third just past the half-hour mark. Ryoichi Maeda, Takuji Yonemoto, Kota Mizunuma and substitute Hiroki Kawano added to the tally in the second half before Chonlatit Jantakam's own goal and Kawano's late penalty ended the scoring at nine as FC Tokyo cruised into Group E of the continental competition where it will meet 2006 winner Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, big-spending Chinese side Jiangsu FC and Vietnamese champions Becamex Binh Duong.
