Kashima Antlers joined J. League rival Gamba Osaka in the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League after a routine 4-0 win away to Vietnam's Nam Dinh on Wednesday in the final round of group-phase matches.
Goals from Yuzo Tashiro, Shinzo Koroki, Masashi Motoyama and Danilo did the damage at a virtually empty My Dinh Stadium to clinch Group F with 15 points from six games, three more than Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan, which was shocked 5-3 by Krung Thai Bank.
Kashima advanced to the knockout stage for the first time after being eliminated in its only previous ACL appearance in 2003.