Shanghai Port to face Yokohama F Marinos in Asian Champions League s last 16

Shanghai Port will face Yokohama F Marinos in the round of 16 of the Asian Champions League Elite next month as the Chinese Super League sides qualification for the knockout rounds was confirmed by the Asian Football Confederation on Thursday.

Port lost 2-0 in their final league phase match to the Japanese club on Wednesday in Shanghai but have progressed as a result of the withdrawal of compatriots Shandong Taishan.

Shanghais place in the next round was ratified by the AFCs publication of the official fixture list for the last 16.

Marinos, who topped the 12-team east Asian league standings, will travel to face Port in the first leg on March 4. Thailands Buriram United will host Johor Darul Tazim of Malaysia on the same day with the return fixtures played a week later.

Shanghai Shenhua will entertain Japans Kawasaki Frontale and reigning J-League champions Vissel Kobe will host South Koreas Gwangju FC in their first leg fixtures on March 5, with the second legs on March 12.

The winners of the four ties will advance to the quarter-finals, where they will join the four qualifiers from the west of the confederation in a centralised finals in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from April 25 to May 3.

On that side of the draw, Cristiano Ronaldos Al-Nassr will take on Esteghlal from Iran while Al-Sadd from Qatar meet Al-Wasl of the United Arab Emirates on March 3 and 10.

Four-times champions Al-Hilal face Uzbekistans Pakhtakor while their fellow Saudis Al-Ahli play Qatars Al-Rayyan on March 4 and 11.

Shandong pulled out of Wednesdays meeting with South Koreas Ulsan HD citing health issues and the withdrawal saw their results expunged from the tournament records.

Under the tournaments regulations, Shandong face a minimum $50,000 fine, a suspension of at least one season from