Santos late equalizer gives Anyang spot in Asian semi vs Esteqlal

Tehran, Feb 21, IRNA -Anyang Cheetahs of South Korea took a priceless point at the injury time after Andre Santos' shot from a  free-kick kissed the Japanese Kashima Antlers' net, granting the Korean side a berth in the semifinal of Asian Clubs Championships against Esteqlal of Iran.
Japanese champion Kashima Antlers crashed out of the Asian event at the quarterfinal stage after a 1-1 draw against Anyang Cheetahs of South Korea on Thursday.
Kashima that needed three points from their final match of the East Asian quarterfinal group was seconds away from a semifinal spot until Santos scored with an injury-time free-kick to cancel out Masashi Motoyama's 58th-minute goal.
Japan strikers Atsushi Yanagisawa and Takayuki Suzuki were kept in check as the Antlers bowed out in the quarterfinal for the third time running after falling at the same hurdle in 1998 and 2000.
Motoyama, who is on the fringes of Japan World Cup side, raised Kashima's hopes when he capitalized on some defensive uncertainty from Anyang to rifle in a shot from the edge of the penalty box. 
The South Koreans poured forward in search of an equalizer but chances were at a premium in torrential rain in Sogwipo, one of South Korea's 10 venues for the World Cup finals they are co-hosting with  Japan in mid-year.
However, Santos ensured Anyang joined defending Asian club champion Suwon Bluewings in the semifinals with a well-executed equalizer in stoppage time.
Suwon, also of South Korea, beat Chinese club Dalian Shide 2-0 thanks to a first-half brace from Brazilian striker Sandro Cardoso at the same venue earlier in the day to finish top of the group with seven points from three matches.
Suwon will meet Nasaf Karsi of Uzbekistan.
Anyang went through with Suwon after three draws, while Kashima and Dalian finished joint third in the group on two points and the same goal difference after one defeat and two draws each.
Esteqlal and Karsi complete the lineup for the semifinals, which will take place at the beginning of April.