Defending champions Jeonbuk Motors were sent crashing out of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, losing 2-0 at home in the quarter-finals to Japan's top team Urawa Reds.

A third minute strike from Tatsuya Tanaka rattled the South Korean side and they never recovered, with Choi Jin-cheul conceding an own goal in the 66th minute to rub salt in their wounds at Jeonju World Cup Stadium.

The sending off of Chung Kyung-ho midway through the first half ended any hope they had of keeping their hands on the trophy.

Urawa go through to the semi-finals 4-1 on aggregate after their 2-1 first leg win in Yokohama and now face either Korean champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma or 2006 runners-up Al Karama of Syria who play later Wednesday.

But there was agony for Japan's other side left in the competition, Kawasaki Frontale, who lost to Iran's Sepahan 5-4 in a penalty shootout after both legs of their quarter-final ended goalless.

Hiroyuki Taniguchi missed Frontale's fourth penalty before Jalal Akbari slotted home Sepahan's final kick to take them through to a semi-final against either Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia or Al Wahda from the United Arab Emirates.

The two Arab giants ground out a goalless draw in the first leg with Al Hilal taking home advantage into the do-or-die showdown later on Wednesday.

It was painful for Frontale who dominated, as they did in the first leg, but failed to turn their superiority into goals.

Iraq international Emad Mohammed led the line for Sepahan and thought he had given them the lead with just eight minutes left, only to see the lineman's flag raised after planting his header beyond goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.

As in their first leg, Urawa took the lead soon after the kick off. Just three minutes had passed when Robson Ponte took advantage of some sleepy Jeonbuk defending to unleash a low shot from outside the area.

Goalkeeper Sung Kyung-il stopped the shot but spilled the ball into the path of Tanaka who made no mistake from close range.

When Chung was sent off in the 22nd minute for a second yellow card, it was all over with Urawa goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki barely troubled during the match.

The tie was settled when Robson Ponte's right-sided corner hit the chest of Choi Jin-cheul and bounced into the net to give the visitors a 2-0 lead with 24 minutes left.