Adelaide make history in China

You beauty... Adelaide United celebrate their result in China (Getty Images)

Adelaide United became the first Australian club to reach the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League after grinding out a 0-0 draw with Changchun Yatai in China.

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Fittingly for a team that have built their campaign around sturdy defence, the Reds negotiated a Changchun attacking storm to retain their lead atop Group E and also send retiring fullback Richie Alagich out of football on a triumphant note.

"To get a result like this and qualify for the quarter-finals is an incredible achievement," coach Aurelio Vidmar said.

"It was a difficult game but we stuck to our guns.

"The players have to be extremely proud of the way they performed in this competition because they have given everything for three months."

It was Alagich's defensive partners Angelo Costanzo and Saso Ognenovski who were the heroes for United, their sure tackling and aerial dominance defusing countless Chinese attacking thrusts.

Europe-bound striker Bruce Djite also played his part and, while he did not score, his second half introduction added structure to the Reds' possession game in stark contrast to a Changchun side that lacked a central figure.

Ognenovski (hip) and Costanzo (fever) had both shrugged off ailments to make the starting 11, while Milan Susak was shifted into left-back so Lucas Pantelis could maraud further forward.

Reds strike pair Djite and Paul Agostino were on the team sheet as substitutes but neither would have had much of a first half touch if they had started as Changchun dominated from the kick-off.

As early as the fourth minute the visiting defence was breached, only a slight slip from Wang Dong allowing Eugene Galekovic and Alagich to clear.

Changchun attacked with real venom down the left side, but it was from a free kick just past the half hour that took them closest to the lead.

The quick take left United's defence motionless as Ivorian Dah Zadi took aim, his curling effort beating Galekovic but rebounding off a post.

Adelaide's next attack brought them their only real chance of the half, Ognenovski heading centimetres wide from a well-weighted Kristian Sarkies corner.

From a fortunate 0-0 at the half, the Reds found a little more composure following the resumption, and Djite's introduction on the hour in place of Sarkies added to their spine.

Djite was close to finding the winner in the 79th minute when Pantelis' excellent cross arced just out of reach of the Socceroo's head.

The home side had a handful of half chances over the frenzied final 10 minutes, not least when Ognenovski headed off the line in the last minute of added time, but Adelaide held on grimly to claim an honoured place in the developing story of Australian football.

They will be joined by three Japanese clubs, the Kashima Antlers winning their final match against Namh Dinh 4-0 in Vietnam to go through alongside Gamba Osaka and last year's champions Urawa Red Diamonds.

Syria's Karama, Uzbeki side Kuruvchi FC, Saipa of Iran, and Kuwait's Al Qadsia are also through, but United's win means that China will not have a single representative in their Olympic year.

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