Kashima took a 1-0 lead on the night to leave them 4-2 ahead on aggregate, but after conceding three goals in nine second half minutes it looked as though they were heading for a dramatic exit from the competition.

The 23-year-old revealed that the players staged a get-together after falling behind though, stressing the need to keep their heads and not let Suwon’s growing momentum knock them off course.

“We were all saying that we needed to calm down and regain our composure,” he said of the exchange. “We knew if we could pull level (on aggregate) then we’d be back in with a chance, and I’m delighted we were able to do that.”

Shuto Yamamoto opened the scoring for Kashima on a roller-coaster night at the Suwon World Cup Stadium, before three Suwon goals in nine second half minutes from Im Sang-Hyeob, Jo Sung-Jin, and Dejan Damjanovic spun the tie on its head.

Daigo Nishi then pulled one back for Kashima to make it all square on away goals, before Serginho slammed home late on to send his side into November’s showpiece against Persepolis from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Tehran side began the match with a one-goal advantage from the first leg in Doha and an expectant Azadi Stadium was full to capacity, generating an atmosphere that would have rivalled anything the competition has ever see.

But they were stunned into silence inside 20 minutes when the tournament’s top scorer Baghdad Bounedjah swept home his record-equaling 13th of the campaign. Persepolis raised their game after the interval and hit back in the 49th minute as Siamac Nemati volleyed in Godwin Mensha’s cross with what proved the decisive goal.

After suffering a 1-0 defeat at home in the first leg, Al Sadd made a bright start in Tehran and levelled the aggregate score through Baghdad Bounedjah in the 17th minute.

However, Siamak Nemati's volleyed strike right after half-time restored Persepolis' advantage, and the Iranians kept the visitors at bay for the rest of the game to go through to the final 2-1 on aggregate.

As the final whistle went at the Azadi Stadium, Iraqi midfielder Bashar Resan broke into tears, overwhelmed by a huge result that came just days after his mother had passed away.

Resan had been on international duty with Iraq in the past week when he received the news about the bereavement.

Siamac Nemati's second-half goal secured a 2-1 aggregate win for the hosts and a place in the Continental showpiece, where they will face either Suwon Samsung Bluewings or Kashima Antlers in early November.

Trailing by a goal from the first leg, it was Al Sadd who had greater impetus to score, fashioning an opportunity in the third minute.

However, Abdelkarim Hassan's shot at goal flew straight into the hands of Persepolis goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.

From today till October 26, the five finalists are in the running for the grand prize, where the winner shall receive an all expense-paid trip to either the first or second legs of the 2018 AFC Champions League final. The prize includes transport (domestic or international), accommodation and VIP passes for two.

For more information of the contest terms & conditions, please visit the link below:
#ACL2018 ULTIMATE FAN