AFC Champions League Group Stage Play Commences

Group stage play in the 2009 edition of the AFC Champions League commenced on Tuesday:

Group A:


At Dubai, United Arab Emirates:

Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor Tashkent knocked off Al-Ahli 2-1 on the road. Odil Ahmedov (23') and Zaynitdin Tadjyev (PK-67') scored for the visitors.

Group B:

At Tehran, Iran:

Ali Karimi (27'), Alireza Nikbakht (30'), and Hadi Norouzi (34') took part in a scoring barage during the first half to lift Persepolis FC to a 3-1 home win over Sharjah FC from the United Arab Emirates.

At Doha, Qatar:

Al-Shabab of Saudi Arabia opened group stage play with a 2-1 road win over the Al-Ghafara Sports Club. Marcelo Camacho (5') and Abdulziz Bin Saran (22', 44') tallied for the visitors.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Persepolis (GP: 1; GD; +2; PTS: 3)
Al Shabab (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
3. Al-Ghafara SC (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0_
Sharjah FC (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

Group E:

At Ulsan, South Korea:

Maya Yoshida (53'), Davi Jose Silva do Nascimento (77'), Magnum Rafael Farias Tavares (86') each contributed a second-half goal as Japan's Nagoya Grampus overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit to win 3-1 on the road over Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i.

At Beijing:

Tallies from Ryan Griffiths (7') and Du Wenhui (90') paced Beijing Guoan to a 2-0 home win over Australia's Newcastle United Jets.

GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. Nagoya Grampus (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. Beijing Guoan (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
3. Ulsan Hyundai Horang-1 (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)
4. Newcastle United Jets (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

Group F:

At Osaka, Japan:

Gamba Osaka overpowered visiting Shandong Luneng from mainland China 3-0. Leanardo Montera da Silva (20'), Yasuhito Endo (PK-71'), and Hayato Sasaki (78') each scored once for the defending Asian club champions.

At Palembang, Indonesia:

FC Seoul racked up a 4-2 road win over Sriwijawa FC, thanks to goals from Jo-Gook Jung (32'), Chi-Woo Kim (57', 67'), and Seung-Yong Kim (78').

GROUP F STANDINGS:

1. Gamba Osaka (GP: 1; GD: +3; PTS: 3)
2. FC Seoul (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
3. Sriwijawa FC (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)
4. Shandong Luneng (GP: 1; GD: -3; PTS: 0)