KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champions Johor Darul Ta'zim strolled into the quarter-finals of the AFC Cup after hammering Kaya of the Philippines 7-2 in a second round match at the Larkin Stadium on Wednesday.
Azamuddin Akil scored twice after Juan Martin Lucero and Jorge Pereyra Diaz had opened scoring on a sodden pitch as Darul Ta'zim raced to a 4-0 lead inside 40 minutes to put the tie beyond Kaya.
Lucero scored twice more to complete his hat-trick in the seocnd half, either side of a goal from Mahalli Jasuli, as Darul Ta''zim took their place in the draw for the last-eight alongside India's Bengaluru, Hong Kong's South China and Singapore's Tampines Rovers in the East Zone.
Bengaluru edged Kitchee 3-2 in Hong Kong in the other East Zone last-16 match on Wednesday while South China came away from Ceres of the Philippines with a 1-0 win as Tampines stunned Mohun Bagan of India 2-1 away on Tuesday, both games settled in extra-time.
The win maintained Darul Ta'zim 100 per cent record in the tournament after winning all six of their group stage games, scoring 28 goals in the process, while also remaining unbeaten in 14 matches at Larkin this year, winning the last 13.
With Safiq Rahim absent through injury, Darul Ta'zim coach Mario Gomez made three changes to the side which mauled Pahang 6-0 in the Super League on Saturday, restoring S. Kunanlan, Azamuddin and Hariss Harun.
It did not take long for the hosts to make their mark when Lucero angled a fine free-kick inside the near post to put Darul Ta'zim on their way to the last-eight on 14 minutes for the Argentine's third goal of the tournament.
Diaz then won and converted a penalty on 23 minutes after being upended by Junior Munoz in the box, easily placing the ball past Kaya's Australian goalkeeper Matt Acton to take his tally for 2016 to 21 goals.
Azamuddin made it 3-0 in the 33rd minute for just his second strike this season when he applied the final touch to Diaz's pass following a lightning counter sparked by a long punt forward by goalkeeper Izham Tarmizi Roslan.
The winger then popped up on the left side seven minutes later and from the edge of the box as Azamuddin curled a stunning right-foot effort into far top corner of the net to give Acton no chance of saving.
Kaya pulled one back eight minutes after the break through OJ Porteria, who beat Izham from an acute angle, but Lucero replied almost immediately when he drilled in a Diaz cut-back to make it 5-1.
Diaz was also the architect of Darul Ta'zim's sixth goal when substitute Mahalli rammed home in the 68th minute and just two minutes later, Lucero drove in the seventh off the underside of the crossbar.
Anton Ugarte reduced the arrears two minutes from time after being left unmarked as Darul Ta'zim fell short of matching the 8-1 scoreline they registered against Ayeyawady United in February.