KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Shandong Taishan has officially withdrawn from the Asian Champions League just hours prior to their scheduled final group-stage match against South Korea’s Ulsan HD.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced that Shandong had been deemed withdrawn after the club stated it would not be participating in the match.

To progress to the knockout stage, Shandong needed only a draw in their encounter with Ulsan.

While the AFC did not specify the reason for Shandong’s exit from the tournament, the team mentioned health issues among its players.

The club released a statement saying, “Due to the serious physical discomfort of team members, our medical team assessed that the players were not fit to compete in the final AFC Champions League game against Ulsan HD. We sincerely apologize to the AFC, Ulsan HD, and our fans for this situation.”

With Shandong’s withdrawal, Shanghai Shenhua automatically secured a spot in the next stage of the tournament. They will be joined by three clubs from Japan: Yokohama F. Marinos, Kawasaki Frontale, and Vissel Kobe.

Additionally, teams from South Korea, including Gwangju FC and Pohang Steelers, along with Thailand’s Buriram United, and Malaysia’s Johor Darul Tazim, will also move forward in the competition.

Meanwhile, in the western zone, Saudi Arabian teams Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli, and Al-Nassr have successfully positioned themselves in the top three spots of their group.