KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Elite club teams from China and Japan are bound for a showdown in the AFC Champions League quarterfinals following the draws made here on Tuesday.
The four teams from the East Zone - title holders Kashima Antlers as well as 2017 champions Urawa Red Diamonds, both from Japan and China's Guangzhou Evergrande FC, the 2015 winners, and Chinese Super League Champion Shanghai SIPG - confirmed their places at the quarterfinals after a thrilling round of 16 stage.
The draw puts Shanghai SIPG to face Urawa Red Diamonds while Guangzhou Evergrande will play against Kashima Antlers.
Both Chinese teams will play their home games first before traveling to Japan for the second leg.
Both Shanghai SIPG and Guangzhou Evergrande narrowly made it through on penalties after defeating Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors from South Korea and Shandong Luneng FC respectively.
Kashima Antlers were on the brink of defeat against Sanfrecce Hiroshima before they won in final minutes, while Urawa Red Diamonds overturned a first-leg defeat with an emphatic 3-0 away win against Ulsan Hyundai FC of South Korea to advance on a 4-2 aggregate.
The match-ups of quarterfinals for the West Zone remain unknown as the round of 16 matches are due to play in August.
The two legs of the quarterfinals will be played on late August and mid-September respectively.
