Guangzhou throw down the gauntlet

Chinese champions Guangzhou kicked off their Asian campaign in some style with a crushing win over Jeonbuk in their first ever Champions League campaign [AFP]

Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande opened their 2012 Asian Champions League campaign with a 5-1 thrashing of 2011 finalist Jeonbuk Motors on Wednesday in Jeonju, South Korea.

Two goals from Brazilian striker Cleo and another from Argentine midfielder Dario Conca gave the visitors a 3-0 lead before Jeong Shung-hoon replied for the South Korean team in the 70th minute.

Conca scored his second for Guangzhou two minutes later and Brazilian forward Muriqui wrapped up a convincing Group H win in the 75th.

Ambition

Liaoning are the only Chinese club to lift the trophy back in 1990 but Guangzhou are aiming to end that run.

In 2011, Guangzhou kicked off the new era in China by embarking on a massive spending spree that helped the team win the domestic title for the first time and by a margin of 15 points.

Elsewhere, midfielder Jirawat Makkharom scored in the 77th minute as Thailand champions Buriram United upset J-League champions Kashiwa Reysol 3-2 in Thailand.

Makkharom and Askar Jadigerov scored first-half goals for the hosts before Junya Tanaka and Hiroki Sakai responded for Kashiwa.

In Group G action, Brazilian striker Everton scored the second of his two goals in the 90th minute for South Korean side Seongnam Ilhwa to salvage a 2-2 draw away to Nagoya Grampus in Japan.

Everton gave his team a 1-0 lead two minutes after the break, but Australia striker Josh Kennedy levelled for Nagoya from the penalty spot 10 minutes later.

Mu Kanazaki gave the hosts a 2-1 lead in the 73rd minute before Everton’s last-gasp equaliser.

Also in Group G, Chinese side Tianjin Teda and Central Coast Mariners of Australia drew 0-0 in China.

The top two teams in each of the eight groups advance to the round of 16.