The China Mail - Southgate's ex-assistant begins life at Yokohama in AFC Champions League

The East Zone will play a penultimate round of fixtures on Tuesday and Wednesday in the new-look continental championship's league stage, with 11 of the 12 clubs still in contention for the eight berths available in the last 16.

Japan's Yokohama top the table on 13 points from six games with a better goal difference than South Korea's Gwangju and Japanese champions Vissel Kobe.

All three play Chinese opposition this week knowing that a draw from one of their two remaining matches will clinch a place in the knockout stage.

"I think the club has done a good job to retain important players from last season so we have good stability from that respect," said Holland, in his first job since Southgate stepped down after losing the final of last year's Euros.

Yokohama, beaten by Al Ain over two legs in last season's final under Australian Harry Kewell, are at home against Shanghai Shenhua on Wednesday.

Vissel Kobe, who won their second straight J. League title last year, host Shanghai Port on Tuesday while Gwangju visit Shandong Taishan the same day.

Many of the East zone teams are yet to begin their 2025 domestic campaigns and Holland said he was hoping to hit the ground running.

"We're trying to get players in the right positions that give them the opportunity to utilise the qualities that they have," he said.

Japan's Kawasaki Frontale are one point behind the leading trio and they can also advance with a win on Tuesday at South Korea's Pohang Steelers, who are three points further back.

The race for the final three berths in the top eight is very tight with Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim, Shanghai Port and Thailand's Buriram United all on eight points in sixth, seventh and eighth respectively.

Johor travel to Australia on Tuesday to visit rock-bottom Central Coast Mariners, who are the only team eliminated so far.

Shanghai Shenhua and Shandong Taishan are one point off the top eight in ninth and 10th.

South Korea's Ulsan, semi-finalists last year and domestic champions for the past three seasons, lie 11th on three points with their qualification chances hanging by a thread.

Ulsan must win both of their final two matches, starting at Buriram on Wednesday, and rely on other results going their way to have any chance of qualifying.

The West Zone have already played seven matches with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr and the other star-studded Saudi Arabian sides -- Al Ahli and Al Hilal -- already reaching the last 16.

The final round of league fixtures take place next week. The last-16 matches will be played over two legs in March. Saudi Arabia will then host the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final from April 25 to May 4.

I.Ko--ThChM