HONG KONG: Yokohama F Marinos moved top of the Asian Champions League Elite standings with a 4-0 win over Central Coast Mariners on Tuesday as Vissel Kobe and Gwangju FC squandered the opportunity to book their spots in the competition's last 16.
Kobe, who were in first place going into Tuesday's matches, slipped to a 3-1 loss at Pohang Steelers while Gwangju FC were held to a 1-1 draw after 10-man Shanghai Port equalised through Oscar's late penalty to earn a point.
Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), meanwhile, shared a 0-0 draw with Thailand's Buriram United in Johor.
Marinos cruised to victory over the Australian champions in Gosford, with Kento Inoue netting twice inside the first half hour to put John Hutchison's side in control.
Inoue scored in the sixth minute, cutting in from the left to bend his shot around goalkeeper Dylan Peraic-Cullen and the winger doubled the lead 24 minutes later with a cool finish.
Anderson Lopes's deflected strike added a third for the J-League outfit in the 36th before Jun Amano's curling free kick 20 minutes from time sealed the victory.
The win takes Marinos to 13 points ahead of Kobe and Gwangju on goal difference with no team able to confirm their progress to the next round from the eastern side of the competition.
The first eight finishers in the league phase from east and west Asia advance to the knockout stage, with the round of 16 to be played in March.
In Shanghai, Heo Yool put Gwangju in front seven minutes before the interval and Port were reduced to 10 men when Wei Zhen was sent off after a seemingly innocuous off-the-ball clash with Shin Chang-moo 10 minutes into the second half.
Kim Jin-ho's foul on Oscar, however, presented the Chinese Super League champions with a lifeline and the Brazilian calmly converted in the 76th to move seventh-placed Shanghai Port to eight points.
Pohang Steelers reignited their qualifying hopes with a 3-1 win over J-League leaders Vissel Kobe in South Korea that takes Park Tae-ha's fifth-placed side to nine points from six games.
Han Chan-hee's powerful strike at an indirect free kick gave the home side a 13th minute lead and Kim In-sung's effort seven minutes later doubled the advantage.
Daiju Sasaki pulled one back for Kobe with a penalty after 34 minutes but Jeong Jae-hee sealed the win in injury time.
JDT were held goalless by Buriram United in a bad-tempered clash in Johor, with both sides having players sent off.
Murilo Henrique was red carded in the 13th minute for the hosts before Buriram captain Theerathon Bunmathan followed suit on the stroke of halftime, while JDT's Park Jun-heong was dismissed in injury time at the end of the game.