Gamba's Hideo Hashimoto, left, and Melbourne's Kaz Patafta in Champions League action

Gamba and Karama both hold five-point leads with two matches remaining in their respective groups, with only the top team from each pool progressing to the quarter-finals.

In Osaka, Masato Yamazaki scored twice, moving the Japanese side to 10 points from their opening four games in Group G, while Melbourne are now out of contention having picked up just three points.

Yamazaki opened the scoring in the 31st minute when he finished off a fine move to score, and Gamba doubled their advantage 13 minutes after the break when Yamazaki was again on target, this time steering the ball home after the Melbourne defence failed to clear.

In China, Brazilian striker Tiago scored the only goal of the game late in the first half in a 1-0 win over Kashima Antlers, as Beijing Guoan drew level on nine points with the J-League champions at the top of Group F.

Meanwhile Nathan Burns, Australian Olympic team forward, starred in Adelaide United's 4-1 hammering of Vietnam's Binh Duong, which sent the A-League side closer to the knockout rounds.

Burns, who was in irrepressible form early in the second half, set up goals for Lucas Pantelis and a double for skipper Travis Dodd to give the home side a 3-0 lead, all within six minutes.

Defender Minh Doc Pham pulled one back for Binh Duong but Adelaide had the last word with Brazilian Diego scoring a fourth in the 76th minute.

Adelaide now have a vital match against South Korea's Pohang Steelers at home on May 7 after the K-League club scored a stoppage-time equaliser to salvage a 2-2 home draw with China's Changchun Yatai.

Changchun now have eight points to Adelaide's 10, with Pohang languishing on four points and almost certainly out of contention.

Late games

Elsewhere, Iranian champions Saipa drew 1-1 with Iraq's Al Quwa Al Jawiya, as Kianoush Rahmati gave Ali Daei's side the lead in the 63rd minute from the penalty spot only for Ahmed Iyad to equalise with 19 minutes remaining.

The result moved Saipa to eight points from four games in Group B while Al Quwa Al Jawiya remain three points behind.

In Group A, Iraq international striker Emad Ridha scored the only goal as 2007 runners-up Sepahan completed the double against Al Ittihad with a 1-0 away win over the Saudi side.

The winner arrived with 20 minutes to go when Ridha received the ball from Seyed Mohammad Salehi and fired a first-time shot past goalkeeper Mabrouk Zaid.

Uzbeki side Kuruvchi kept up their challenge for the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Al Ittihad Aleppo in the other Group A fixture.

In other late games, Al Wahda of UAE beat Saudi side Al Ahli 2-1 in Group C while Syria's Al Karama had a 1-0 victory over Al Sadd of Qatar.

In Group D, Uzbek champions Pakhtakor thrashed Iraq's Arbil 5-1 and Al Qadsia of Kuwait had a 1-0 victory at Qatar's Al Gharafa.

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