Tokyo: Thailand's BG Pathum United thrashed Hong Kong's Kitchee 4-0 in the last 16 round of the AFC Champions League yesterday.
The win ended Kitchee's fairytale run after they became the first team from Hong Kong to reach the knockout round of Asia's top club competition with a last-gasp equaliser in their final group game in May sealing their place.
But the Thai League 1 side proved too strong with Worachit Kanitsribumphen and Singapore's Ikhsan Fandi scoring first-half goals for the Rabbits before Teerasil Dangda and Chatmongkol Tongkiri added two more after the break.
The game was held in the Japanese city of Saitama, where all knockout matches in the East zone are taking place, over one leg.
Kitchee gifted BG Pathum their opening goal in the 34th minute after a goalkeeping howler.
Wang Zhenpeng completely fluffed a routine clearance after a long ball forward, and a grateful Worachit tapped home into an empty net.
Ikhsan doubled BG's lead five minutes later, with a stunning strike from the edge of the box after beating two Kitchee defenders.
Teerasil made it three when he tapped in at the back post in the 68th minute before Chatmongkol rounded off the scoring with a cool finish three minutes from time.
Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds beat Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim 5-0 in the last match of the round of 16 in Saitama.
South Korea's Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Japan's Vissel Kobe advanced to the last eight with wins on Thursday.
Jeonbuk secured a 2-1 extra-time win over South Korean rivals Daegu, while Kobe upset fellow Japanese side Yokohama F Marinos 3-2. The draw for the quarter-finals, or the East zone's semi-finals, is scheduled for today.