J.League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima secured safe passage into the Club World Cup quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over New Zealand's Auckland City in the tournament opener on Thursday.
Sanfrecce went into haltime goalless at Nissan Stadium after stubborn resistance from the Oceania champions, but a 66th-minute piledriver from Toshihiro Aoyama was enough to settle the matter.
Sanfrecce now face African champions Al-Ahly at Toyota Stadium on Sunday, with the winner earning a crack at Brazilian side Corinthians three days later.