Japanese teams off to flying start in AFC Champions League

Japanese teams got off to a flying start in the revamped AFC Champions League on Tuesday, with Gamba Osaka and Nagoya Grampus both earning three valuable points.

Defending champions Gamba served notice that they will not relinquish their title lightly with a dominant 3-0 home win over Chinese Super League champions Shandong Luneng.

In the other game in their group, FC Seoul proved too good for Indonesian outfit Sriwijaya, romping to a 4-2 win with a brace from Kim Chi-Woo and strikes from Jung Jo-Gook and Ki Syun-Yueng.

Only the top team from each of the eight groups progresses to the knockout rounds of Asia’s top club competition that features 20 million dollars in prize money this year as part of the AFC’s attempt to take it to another level.

In another boost for the J-League, Nagoya stunned Ulsan Hyundai 3-1 in Korea.

Japan’s two other participants, Kashima Antlers and Kawasaki Frontale, take on South Korea’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings and China’s Tianjin Teda respectively in Groups G and H on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Beijing Guoan ruined Newcastle Jets’ Champions League debut with a 2-0 home win. A sixth-minute strike from Yue Kaihao set them on their way before Du Wenhui made certain of victory over the Australians in the dying seconds.

In Osaka, Brazilian striker Leandro proved to be Shandong’s chief tormentor and he, Yasuhito Endo and substitute Hayato Sasaki found the back of the net for the hosts in a largely one-sided game.

Leandro got the opener with a sizzling shot in the 20th minute. Endo then converted a penalty after 72 minutes with Sasaki adding another six minutes later.

In Ulsan, Grampus fell behind to a first-half goal by Cho Jin-Soo but turned the tables on their hosts with two second-half headers from defender Maya Yoshida and Brazilian forward Davi.

Rafael Magnum made the game safe with Nagoya’s third three minutes from time.

In the West Asian side of the draw, Iran’s Piroozi Athletic beat Sharjah of Saudi Arabia 3-1.

Elsewhere, Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia beat Qatar’s Al Gharafa by the same scoreline; UAE outfit Al Ahli felled Uzbek heavyweights Pakhtakor 2-1 while the game between another Saudi side, Al Hilal, and Iran’s Saba Battery, was postponed due to a sandstorm.

The group stages wrap up on May 20 with the knockout rounds starting later that month ahead of the final in Japan in November.