The first half of matchday 6 fixtures of the 2014 AFC Asian Champions League were completed on Tuesday night with differing results for two Australian clubs.
Melbourne Victory were cruelly denied the chance to move into the knockout phase of Asia's premier club competition for the first time when held to a 0-0 draw by Jeonbuk Motors in South Korea.
The two-time A-League champs required a victory over Jeonbuk to clinch second spot in Group G but were unable to do so despite claims for a penalty in injury-time when Kosta Barbarouses was felled by Lee Jae-myung in the area.
Victory ended up third in their group on eight points, level with Jeonbuk, but behind by virtues of goal difference which was even compared to the Korean side's plus one.
Topping Group G on ten points was reigning Asian and Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande who beat Japan's Yokohama F. Marinos 2-1 courtesy of a double from Brazilian striker Elkeson.
Western Sydney Wanderers are through to the Round of 16 in their debut ACL campaign after hammering China's Guizhou Renhe 5-0 thanks to goals from Shannon Cole, Labinot Haliti, Aaron Mooy, Shinji Ono and Nikolai Topor-Stanley.
The Wanderers finished on top of Group H on 12 points, ahead of J.League side Kawasaki Frontale on goal difference, following their 3-1 home win over K-League outfit Ulsan Hyundai.
In Group C, UAE's Al-Ain finished on top despite a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad who remained second as Qatari side Lekhwiya ended up in third after beating Tractor Sazi 1-0 in Iran thanks to a second-half penalty from former Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra.
And Group D saw Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal sneak onto the top with a 1-0 home victory over Iranian outfit Sepahan while Qatar's Al-Sadd clinched second by beating pre-matchday leaders Al-Ahli of the UAE 2-1 in Doha.
The second half of matchday 6 fixtures take place on Wednesday night with the most interest on Group F as FC Seoul take on Beijing Guoan and Sanfrecce Hiroshima up against Central Coast Mariners with all four teams still a chance of progressing.
