Big-spending Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande kicked off their AFC Champions League campaign in style on Wednesday, thumping last year's beaten finalists Jeonbuk Hundai Motors of South Korea 5-1. Elsewhere, a stunning injury-time overhead kick from Brazilian striker Hevertinho earned 2010 champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma of South Korea a 2-2 draw with Japan's Nagoya Grampus.
It may be Asia's continental showpiece club tournament, but it was South American players who were making the biggest impact. Evergrande's Brazilian striker Cleverson Gabriel Cordova and Argentinian midfielder Conca each scored twice at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium, with another Braziliain, Luiz Guilherme da Conceicao Silva, adding the fifth.
"This is not the end, it is just the beginning. There are still five matches to play and we have to be ready for all of them," said Guangzhou's Korean coach Lee Jang-Soo. Jeonbuk were 3-0 down in the Group H clash before Jeong Shung-Hoon's exquisite back-heel in the 70th minute gave them a glimmer of hope.
But three minutes later Conca's superb 25-yard strike put the match beyond reach and Silva added the fifth two minutes after that, drilling the ball below the goalkeeper from the edge of the area. In the other Group G contest, Australia's A-League leaders the Central Coast Mariners earned a point away in China with a battling 0-0 draw against Tianjin Teda. The Mariners are yet to win a game in the Asian Champions League after seven attempts and survived a penalty appeal towards the end of the match. In the other Group H game, Thailand's Buriram United stunned Japan's Kashiwa Reysol 3-2. The AFC Champions League has eight groups of four teams, with the top two in each group qualifying for the knockout stage, which starts in May.
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