Adelaide through to ACL group stage

Australia's Adelaide United will contest this year's AFC Champions League after defeating Indonesia's Persipura Jayapura 3-0 in a qualifier in Adelaide on Thursday. Adelaide, with goals to Nigel Boogaard, Evgeniy Levchenko and Sergio van Dijk, dominated at home to secure their spot in Group E of the Asian club showpiece. The play-off eventuated after the Court of Arbitration for Sport this month reinstated Persipura, who were kicked out of the ACL for joining Indonesia's breakaway Liga Super. Adelaide, who lost to Japan's Gamba Osaka in the 2008 ACL final, will take their place in Group E alongside Uzbek side Bunyodkor and Gamba Osaka and play their opening game away to Bunyodkor on 6 March.