Soccer-Marcinho strikes to give Kawasaki opening Asian Champions League win
By Michael Church
HONG KONG, Sept 18 (Reuters) -Japan's Kawasaki Frontale made a winning start to the Asian Champions League Elite on Wednesday as Brazilian striker Marcinho scored the only goal to earn Toru Oniki's side a 1-0 win over hosts Ulsan HD.
Marcinho netted the winner nine minutes into the second half when he stepped inside from the left wing to thump an unstoppable curling right foot shot past South Korea international goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo.
The win moves Kawasaki onto three points at the completion of the opening round of matches, alongside K League outfit Gwangju FC and Chinese duo Shanghai Shenhua and Shandong Taishan on maximum points in the league phase.
Shanghai Port, meanwhile, were twice forced to come back against visitors Johor Darul Ta'zim from Malaysia to earn a 2-2 draw at Pudong Stadium.
Malaysian international Arif Aiman put the visitors in front late in the first half with a strike from 20 yards but Gustavo levelled three minutes after the interval from close range.
Arif was on target again in the 56th minute when he finished off a JDT counterattack to slot past Yan Junling only for Willian Popp to pull Port level with 17 minutes remaining.
The Brazilian volleyed home after Oscar's clever low free kick along the edge of the six yard box had caused mayhem in the JDT defence.
Jiang Guangtai was denied a stoppage time winner for Port, the former Everton defender seeing his close range attempt turned around the post by goalkeeper Andoni Zubiaurre.
The competition is the first to be held since it was overhauled by the Asian Football Confederation, with 12 teams in the eastern and western sides of the continent facing off in the Swiss League format.
The first eight finishers in each league will progress to March's last 16 with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final to be played in Saudi Arabia in April and May.
Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Christian Radnedge
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