Au ensures there's no place for Home

Hong Kong international striker Au Wai-lun steered South China into the final qualifying round of the AFC Champions League when he nodded home the equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Singapores Home United.

Au equalised six minutes from time to cancel out a first half effort from Egmar Goncalves and give his team a 3-2 aggregate win to set up a likely clash against Japanese club Shimizu S-Pulse.

Indias Mohun Bagan and Thailands Osotspa also made it through to the final qualifying round of the inaugural three-million-dollar event after getting the better of Valencia of Maldives and Indonesian club Persita Tangerang respectively.

Osotspa were held to a goalless draw at home but qualified thanks to their 1-0 first leg victory while Mohun Bagan clinched a 3-0 win over Valencia for a 5-2 aggregate.

South China team manager Leung Chou-chi admitted his side were lucky and praised Home United.

"They were by far the better side from start to finish," said Leung.

"We were lucky to have drawn the match."

Home United coach Steve Darby was desolate after watching his side miss a hatful of chances.

"I'm devastated. This is what I call robbery without the violence," said Darby.

Home strikers Indra Sabdan and Egmar threatened from the start and the breakthrough came in the 34th minute when Egmar headed in.

But to the dismay of Home fans, South China equalised against the run of play in the 84th minute.

Home United skipper Subramani Sbunmughan allowed Au to beat him to a header and send South China into the final qualifying round.

Mohuns clash with Valencia was delicately poised after the Maldivian side clawed their way back from two goals down in Calcutta to earn a 2-2 draw in the first leg.

However, the Indian sides class and determination was apparent from the opening whistle as two goals in the first half silenced the 8,000 home fans in the National Stadium hoping for a famous victory.

India captain Baichung Bhutia scored the opener in the fourth minute, turning past a defender before firing home, and George Ekeh scored 10 minutes before half-time following a neat passing move.

Mohun sealed the game two minutes into the second period when Brazilian striker Jose Ramirez Barreto made it 3-0.

Mohun are now likely to face Taejon Citizen in November for a place in the lucrative group stages which begin in March. The Korean FA Cup winners beat Monte Carlo 5-1 in their first-leg clash in Macau earlier this month.

In an another match, Thailands Osotspa progressed after a scoreless home draw with Indonesias Persita Tangerang protected their 1-0 lead from the first leg, thanks to a Kittisak Jaihans goal.

Osotspa, who won the Kings Trophy last weekend, will take on the winners of the tie between Indias Churchill Brothers and Vietnams Saigon Port. Churchill won 2-0 in Goa, and the two sides meet again on Friday at the Thongahat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City.

Four qualifiers from East Asia and four from the West will join eight seeded teams in the group stage in March.