Kashima Antlers (JPN) v FC Seoul (KOR)
J.League champions Kashima Antlers host FC Seoul, last year's K-League runners-up, at the 38,000-capacity Kashima Soccer Stadium. Kashima's 1-1 draw with Shanghai in late May, with Brazilian striker Marquinhos again on target, followed four straight wins after an opening defeat to Suwon Bluewings in Korea.
Oswaldo de Oliveira will be confident his experienced, slick-passing side can reach the quarter-finals for the second straight year. The Antlers' 1-0 victory over Jubilo Iwata on Saturday kept them riding high at the top of the J.League as they gun for a third successive title.
Senol Gunes's Seoul men will be boosted by their dramatic round-of-16 qualification following their 2-1 victory in Osaka. Macedonia striker Dejan Damjanovic struck a 74th-minute equaliser before Kim Han-yoon scored an injury-time winner for the ACL first-timers.
"It was the game we had to win. I was delighted with the victory," said Gunes, who led Turkey to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup. "Gamba were technically a better side, but we matched them by playing with all our might."
Seoul's progress to the last 16 was only confirmed after Shandong Luneng failed to win their last Group F match at Sriwijaya, the Chinese champions going two ahead by half-time before losing 4-2.
Nagoya Grampus (JPN) v Suwon Bluewings (KOR)
Elsewhere in Japan, Nagoya Grampus will look to continue their dream run in their ACL debut when they entertain Suwon Bluewings in a match that will feature two footballing legends on the sidelines at the 20,000-capacity Mizuho Athletic Stadium.
Serb Dragan Stojkovic, who last year led Nagoya to a club record-equalling third place in the J.League in his first season as coach, guided Grampus to top place in Group E, maintaining their unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw at Beijing Guoan.
"If we maintain our good form in the knockout stage, I'm sure we'll secure a place in the last eight," said the Serb, who won 84 caps for the former Yugoslavia, but whose side lost 1-0 to JEF United Chiba on Saturday.
Stojkovic will have to outfox Cha Bum-kun, 'Asia's Player of the Century' and twice a UEFA Cup winner as a player, and in charge of Korea's best-supported club since 2003. The the reigning K-League champions picked up 12 points in Group G, one behind Kashima, after winning four times and losing twice.
An open draw for the quarter-finals will be held on June 29, with home-and-away legs on September 23/24 and September 30.
Round of 16 (East Zone): Wednesday, June 24
Nagoya Grampus (JPN, E1) v Suwon Bluewings (KOR, G2), Mizuho Athletic Stadium, Nagoya
Gamba Osaka (JPN, F1) v Kawasaki Frontale (JPN, H2), Expo '70 Stadium, Osaka
Kashima Antlers (JPN, G1) v FC Seoul (CHN, F2), Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
Pohang Steelers (KOR, H1) v Newcastle Jets (AUS, E2), Steelyard Stadium, Pohang
Note: Country and group-stage position in brackets
(AFC June 23 2009)
