Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne denied Hiroshima a sixth minute lead, dropping to his right to keep out Marcos Junior’s effort from eight yards out after Yusuke Chajima delivered his cross having been found in space behind the defence.

Keisuke Osako was in sharp form at the other end, too, the Japan international making a reflex save to deny Rhyan Grant’s 15th minute attempt when the Hiroshima defence had struggled to clear a high ball into the penalty area.

Osako should have been given no chance in the 19th minute by Adrian Segecic as he was found with time and space by Anas Ouahim on the edge of the Hiroshima penalty area but his shot on the turn was steered wide of the Japanese side’s goal.

The action continued to swing from one end to the other, and Hiroshima’s goalkeeper was on hand to block Patryk Klimala as he bore down on goal three minutes from the interval while Ouahim’s shot from distance in the dying seconds of the half was into Osako’s arms.

The best chance of the half fell to the visitors with the final kick before the interval. Hiroshima won the ball deep in Sydney territory and Makoto Mitsuta played a square pass to Yoshifumi Kashiwa on the six-yard line, who somehow sent his right-foot effort wide.

Sydney’s Klimala and Ouahim both squandered opportunities as the second half came to life 10 minutes after the restart while Kashiwa should have scored for Hiroshima, pulling his shot wide of Redmayne’s goal.

And while Anthony Caceres was denied by Osako moments later, the Japanese finally went in front with an incisive break in the 60th minute, Takaaki Shichi bombing down the left before delivering an inch-perfect cross for Kato to head in.

Sydney responded immediately, Osako pulling off a fine save low and to his right to keep out the midfielder’s shot and soon after he bravely denied Max Burgess at close range only a yard from the goal line.

Redmayne kept out Naoto Arai’s curling left-foot strike with eight minutes remaining to maintain Sydney’s hopes of salvaging but Hiroshima held on to confirm their progress to the knockout phase.