The second legs of the Round of 16 saw a total of 24 goals across the eight matches with five former champions among the sides that have progressed.

As the continental competition takes a two-week break ahead of the next round, the-AFC.com looks back at the stats and facts that caught the eye over the past week.

Leading the way

Two strikes in Shandong Taishan’s 4-2 victory against Kawasaki Frontale took Brazilian striker Cryzan to eight goals in eight matches in the AFC Champions League.

The 27-year-old is out in front in the scoring charts – one ahead of Al Hilal’s Aleksandar Mitrovic and two ahead of both Al Nassr’s Anderson Talisca and Al Ain’s Kodjo Laba.

Second-half strikes

Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the second half of both the first and second legs in Al Nassr’s 3-0 aggregate win over domestic rivals Al Fahya to take his overall tally to five for the campaign.

All five of the Portuguese striker’s goals have come in the second half, with three arriving in the final 10 minutes. Twelve of Al Nassr’s 16 goals, meanwhile, have also been scored after the interval.

Al Dawsari shines in landmark game

It was a momentous matchday for Salem Al Dawsari as the reigning AFC Player of the Year made his 400th competitive appearance for Al Hilal.

Al Dawsari marked the occasion with a lovely equaliser in the 3-1 win over Sepahan as he continued his quest for a third AFC Champions League title to add to those won in 2019 and 2021.

Back again

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ ۳-۱ aggregate victory over domestic rivals Pohang Steelers saw the two-time champions return to the quarter-finals for the 11th time – more than any other side.

The Jeonju club won the competition in 2006 and 2016 and have reached the semi-finals on five occasions. That will be their next aim when they take on fellow K League 1 team Ulsan Hyundai in the last eight.

Breaking new ground

Conversely, Yokohama F. Marinos’ last-gasp 1-0 victory over Bangkok United meant they booked their ticket to the quarter-finals for the first time following a 3-2 aggregate win.

The J1 League side had been eliminated in the Round of 16 twice in the past three editions, losing to Suwon Samsung Bluewings (2020) and Vissel Kobe (2022) before it was third time lucky this time round.

Seven and counting

Since salvaging an opening-day draw at home to Navbahor, Al Hilal have gone on a winning run unrivalled by any other side on the continent this campaign.

Thursday’s come-from-behind victory over Sepahan took the Riyadh giants to seven wins on the bounce as they advanced to the last eight. Next up come Jeddah rivals Al Ittihad.

Late drama

Incredibly, three of the eight quarter-finalists were confirmed in stoppage time at the end of the games, with Al Ain, Shandong and Yokohama advancing after scoring in the dying moments of their respective second legs.

Soufiane Rahimi drilled home a 92nd-minute winner for Al Ain against FC Nasaf, while Jadson’s 97th-minute strike for Shandong saw Kawasaki eliminated in stunning fashion. And Anderson Lopes’s penalty in the 122nd minute dealt Bangkok United the cruellest of blows as Yokohama progressed.

Home and away

And finally, playing the second leg at home was key in the West with all four sides – Al Ain, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad and Al Nassr – coming out on top to progress to the quarter-finals, while three of them came from behind to record victories over the past week.

It was a different story in the East, however, with only Yokohama winning at home this week – courtesy of Lopes’s penalty at the death. The three other home sides – Pohang, Kawasaki and Ventforet Kofu (who lost 2-1 against Ulsan) all failed to win and exited.