Aussies fume as Asian jinx strikes again

Melbourne Victory were left cursing their luck and "awful" refereeing Thursday after their controversial exit from the AFC Champions League extended an unhappy run for Australian teams in Asia. Coach Mehmet Durakovic was fuming after Victory, needing a win to have any chance of reaching the last 16, had no fewer than five "goals" chalked off for offside and a shot cleared off the line in the 1-1 draw with Jeju United. "I must have run over a black cat or something," Durakovic told the A-League club's website after Wednesday's clash in South Korea. "As a coach, you never want to make excuses but the amount of chances we've had and some awful decisions by the referees... we could have definitely deserved to qualify, if not in first spot, at least in second spot." Victory finished bottom of Group E while domestic rivals Sydney FC managed just one win in their six games in Group H, as Australian clubs once again failed to set the Asian club championship on fire. Adelaide United reached the 2008 final and qualified for the last 16 in 2010, but Newcastle Jets are the only other Australian team to survive the group stage after they made it to the round of 16 in 2009. Durakovic, in charge since Ernie Merrick's sacking in March, considered two-time Australian champions Victory hard done by after Wednesday's game when TV replays signalled two of their ruled-out goals were legitimate. "I've never been involved in a game like that in my life, as a footballer or as a coach," Durakovic said. "There was two clear goals that should have stood. We started off really well and if the linesman hadn't have put his flag up (for Danny Allsopp's early strike) which was clearly onside, we are one up, in the fourth minute of the game." Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) from Oceania in 2006, seeking greater competition and easier passage to the World Cup, but a continental title has so far proved elusive. The national team was knocked out in the quarter-finals of its debut Asian Cup in 2007, and the Socceroos went down 1-0 to Japan in the 2011 competition's final in January. In other Champions League results, Japan's Gamba and Cerezo set up an all-Osaka last 16 clash, while 2006 champions Jeonbuk Motors will face Tianjin Teda -- China's last team standing. Kashima Antlers, whose stadium was badly damaged in Japan's devastating March earthquake, travel to Korean champions FC Seoul later this month, while J-League title-holders Nagoya Grampus are hosted by Korea's Suwon Bluewings. All four Saudi teams are in the knock-outs including mighty Al Ittihad, who claimed back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005 -- the last time a West Asian team won -- and who will take on compatriots Al Hilal. Saudi sides Al Shabab and Al Nassr travel to Qatar's Al Sadd and Zobahan of Iran respectively for the one-off round of 16, which will be played on May 24 and 25.