(Reuters) - Japanese trio Yokohama F Marinos, Vissel Kobe and Kawasaki Frontale can all confirm their progress to the last 16 of the Asian Champions League Elite this week as former champions Ulsan Hyundai face the prospect of an early exit.
The east Asian league phase resumes after a two-month break with Ulsan, winners in 2012 and 2020, travelling to Thailand to take on Buriram United on Wednesday needing a victory to keep their slim hopes of advancing alive.
Hong Myung-bo's side sit in 11th place in the 12-team standings with three points, five adrift of eighth-placed Buriram and the final qualifying berth for the knockout rounds with two matches remaining.
The top eight finishers in both west and east Asia advance to the next phase, with the round of 16 to be played in March before a centralised finals round to be held in Saudi Arabia in April and May.
Back-to-back J-League champions Vissel Kobe will entertain Chinese Super League title holders Shanghai Port on Tuesday knowing a draw would be enough to confirm their progress.
Kobe go into the game against Kevin Muscat's team off the back of a 2-0 loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Saturday's Japan Super Cup while Kawasaki Frontale travel to South Korea to face Pohang Steelers under new coach Shigetoshi Hasebe.
Second-placed Gwangju FC of South Korea, making their debut in the competition, take on Chinese hosts Shandong Taishan also needing a point to qualify as Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim face already eliminated Central Coast Mariners in Gosford.
Marinos lead the standings after six rounds with 13 points and go into their meeting with Shanghai Shenhua on Wednesday also under new management.
New boss Steve Holland previously worked as Gareth Southgate's assistant with England and was appointed in December to replace interim coach John Hutchison, who had temporarily taken over from Harry Kewell.
It was under Kewell that the J-League outfit reached the final of last season's competition, where they missed out on their first Asian title to Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates over two legs.
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Toby Davis)
