AFC Champions League: Group-Stage Play Begins

Group-stage play in the AFC Champions League commenced with eight games on Tuesday.

Group A:

At Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Ahmed Al Ghilani scored the winning goal in the 72nd minute as Al-Jazira held off visiting Al-Rayyan 3-2.

At Tehran, Iran:

Imad Khalili scored the only goal of the match in the 58th minute as Al-Shabab snatched a 1-0 road win over Esteghlal.

GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. Al-Jazira (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
2. Al-Shabab (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Al-Rayyan (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
4. Esteghlal FC (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)



Group B:

At Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia:

Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor PFK held hosts Al-Fateh to a 0-0 stalemate.

At Doha, Qatar:

Foolad proved to be no fools as the visiting Iranian club held El Jaish to a 0-0 deadlock.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Al-Fateh (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    Foolad FC (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    El Jaish (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    Bunyodkor PFK (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)



Group E:

At Jinan, China:

Adisak Kraisorn stoppage-time equalizer (90'+2) carried Burinam United to a 1-1 road draw with Shandong Luneng Taishan.  Liu Binbin scored in the 83rd minute for the Chinese club.

At Pohang, South Korea:

Bae Chun-Suk's equalizer in the 61st minute enabled Pohang Steelers to salvage a 1-1 home draw with Cerezo Osaka.  Yoichiro Kakitani scored for the visiting Japanese club in the eleventh minute.

GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. Pohang Steelers (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    Burinam United (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    Shandong Luneng Taishan FC (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    Cerezo Osaka (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)



Group F:

At Hiroshima, Japan:

Kazuhiko Chiba delivered the equalizer in the 77th minute as Sanfrecce Hiroshima settled for a 1-1 home draw with China's Beijing Guoan. Ha Dae-Sung scored for the guests in the 62nd minute.

At Seoul, South Korea.

Osmar Barba (PK-33') and Yun Il-Lok (57') delivered the goals as FC Seoul blanked the visiting (and ten-man) Central Coast Mariners 2-0.

GROUP F STANDINGS:

1. FC Seoul (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. Beijing Guoan (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    Sanfrecce Hiroshima (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. Central Coast Mariners (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)