Urawa Reds eased past Thailand's BG Pathum United 4-0 to reach the semifinals of the Asian Champions League on Monday but fellow J-League side Vissel Kobe were eliminated after going down 3-1 in extra time to Jeonbuk Motors of South Korea in their quarterfinal.
First-half goals from Swedish striker David Moberg and defender Takuya Iwanami set Urawa on their way in front of their home crowd at Saitama Stadium with Yoshio Koizumi and Takahiro Akimoto stretching the lead after the break.
Urawa had two goals disallowed before making it third time lucky in the 31st minute. Takahiro Sekine cut in from the left and played a diagonal ball to Moberg, who took a touch before drilling a left-footed shot home via the hand of keeper Kittipong Phuthawchueak.
Iwanami doubled the lead three minutes before the break, the defender's glancing header off an inswinging corner from Ken Iwao flying into the far corner.
Koizumi made it 3-0 in the 65th minute when he rifled low into the far corner through the legs of a defender, and substitute Akimoto powered home their fourth seven minutes later on another attack down the left.
"We've come this far and I want to head into the next game representing Japanese clubs," said Iwanami ahead of Thursday's semifinal against Jeonbuk, also at Saitama Stadium.
Kobe, fighting relegation in the J-League first division, led Jeonbuk through substitute Koya Yuruki's 64th-minute goal. But the Korean side equalized two minutes later before adding two more in extra time.
"It's really disappointing and we're sorry for the fans who came to support us," said captain Hotaru Yamaguchi, whose misplaced pass led to the equalizer.
"Now we need to start getting wins in the J-League as we battle for survival."
