Diego Forlan ends Shandong's bid as Beijing Guoan also crash out

Uruguay World Cup star Diego Forlan scored the goal that denied Chinese Super League runners-up Shandong Luneng a place in the knockout phase of the AFC Champions League as the former Manchester United forward earned Japan’s Cerezo Osaka a 2-1 win in Jinan on Wednesday night.

Shandong and Beijing Guoan both missed out on the opportunity to join defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande in the last 16 of the continental championship, with the capital club exiting at the hands of last year’s beaten finalists FC Seoul.

Beijing needed to win to advance but rarely looked capable of troubling Choi Yong-soo’s side and Yu Yang’s 88th minute header was little more than a consolation for Guoan after goals from Kang Seung-jo and Yun Ju-tae had given FC Seoul a clear advantage.

Shandong, however, had looked set to book their place in the next phase of the competition after Brazilian striker Vagner Love gave the Jinan-based club the lead from the penalty spot in the first half.

Victory would have seen Shandong join group winners Pohang Steelers in the next round, and set up a meeting with Guangzhou in what would have been a mouthwatering clash.

But two goals soon after the restart – the first from Japan international Yoichiro Kakitani, which was swiftly followed by a strike from Forlan – ended Shandong’s hopes as Cerezo progressed.