Dalian, Chonbuk win: AFC Champions League Group E

China Super League giants Dalian Shide got off their AFC Champions League campaign to a winning start after sweeping aside Da Nang of Vietnam 2-0 while K-League side Chonbuk Motors edged J-League champions Gamba Osaka 3-2 on Wednesday in the Group E matches.

Playing in front of 20,000 home fans at the Chi Lang Stadium here, Da Nang fell behind on 40 minutes to Zou Jie”s opener and Ji Mingyi added to it three minutes into the restart. The scoreline stayed that way till the final whistle.

Midfielder Yasuhito Endo put Gamba ahead in the 15th minute at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium but Akira Nishino”s men failed to hold on to the lead and allowed Colombian striker Milton Rodrigues, who brushed aside a niggling injury to start for Chonbuk in the match, to equalise in the 29th minute.

New Brazilian signing Magno Alves, who was snapped up by Gamba in a close season deal to replace 2005 J-League Player of the Year Araujo, made it 2-1 in the 58th minute. But Kim Hyeung-bum restored parity on 70 minutes and ensured that the K-League side walked away with three points with his 84th minute winner.

Match Day 2 on March 22 sees Gamba take on Da Nang and Dalian play Chonbuk.