Big-spending Jiangsu Suning went the same way as fellow Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao as they failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League.
A 2-2 draw with group winners Jeonbuk saw Jiangsu miss out by a point in Group E, with Toyko beating Binh Duong 2-1 to secure their progress.
Dan Petrescu’s men had led 2-1, with Ramires setting up fellow headline signing Alex Teixeira to cancel out Leonardo Pereira’s early penalty before Jo netted a spot-kick of his own.
It was Lim Jong-eun’s 68th-minute goal that proved to be the last word, ending Jiangsu’s continental hopes.
Matters were more clear-cut in Group F ahead of the final round of fixtures, with Seoul still finishing top despite a 2-1 loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Shandong Luneng took second, even though they became the first side to drop points against Buriram United in a match that finished goalless.
Lokomotiv and Al Nasr settled for a point apiece as both qualified from Group A, meaning disappointment for Al Ittihad and Sepahan.
And in Group B, unbeaten Zob Ahan finished top with a 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, while Lekhwiya also went through following a 0-0 draw with Bunyodkor.
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