A late goal from Anthony Modeste sealed a 1-0 win for Tianjin Quanjian over Kitchee and its spot in the AFC Champions League Round of 16. 

Played in front of a raucous capacity crowd at the Mong Kok Stadium, it was the visitors who took control early and Paulo Sousa’s men should’ve taken the lead after 19 minutes, but Belgian international Axel Witsel put his shot wide under little pressure. 

As the half wore on, however, the home side settled into the match and started creating chances of their own, with star man Diego Forlan stinging the palms of Zhang Lu after 34 minutes. Kitchee goalkeeper Wang Zhengpeng then produced a brilliant save to deny Wang Yongpo, who was one of Tianjin’s liveliest players in the first half, to ensure the teams went into the halftime break locked at 0-0. 

With renewed confidence after their first-half showing, Kitchee came out in the second half in an attacking mood and Hungarian midfielder Krisztian Vadocz came close to breaking the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half with a thumping effort from the edge of the area.

Just when the match looked headed for a goalless stalemate, Tianjin struck to break Kitchee hearts. With just a minute of regulation time remaining, the home side’s defense failed to clear the ball from a long throw-in, and from the second phase play, Kwon Kyung-won’s effort bounced over the head of Wang Zhengpeng and into the path of Modeste to head home into an open net.

The win leaves open the possibility of Tianjin Quanjian finishing top of Group E should it defeat Kashiwa Reysol in its final match and Kitchee defeat Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the other match.

Meanwhile, a 1-1 draw against Kawasaki Frontale secured Shanghai SIPG top spot in Group F on Matchday Five on Wednesday. After a tepid opening quarter of an hour, the game sprung into life on 21 minutes as Shanghai were handed a penalty when Odil Ahmedov was brought down inside the area. 

But the Shanghai Stadium crowd were left shocked as the usually prolific Hulk put his spot-kick well over the bar, spurning a golden opportunity to fire the home side into an early lead.

Just two minutes into the second half, Wu Lei missed a glorious chance to open the scoring for the hosts. After Oscar threaded through an inch-perfect ball, the Chinese international sliced his shot agonizingly wide of Jung Sung-ryong in the Kawasaki goal.

After a sustained period of pressure, the breakthrough eventually came for Shanghai in the 68th minute as Elkeson finished off the good work of Oscar and then Hulk in the build-up to give goalkeeper Jung no chance. But just as the hosts looked to be cruising, Kawasaki leveled the scores through a clinical Kei Chinen header from close range on 74 minutes to leave the game wide open going into the final 15 minutes. 

Elkeson came the closest of either side to find a late winner but his scuffed shot with the last kick of the game failed to find the target and the match ended level. Shanghai SIPG travel to Australia to face Melbourne Victory on Matchday Six with their place in the group wrapped up, while Kawasaki host Ulsan Hyundai to finish Group E proceedings.