Shanghai Shanggang players celebrate beating Central Coast Mariners in an AFC Champions League Elite match in Shanghai, China, October 22, 2024. /CFP
China's Shanghai Port edged Australia's Central Coast Mariners 3-2 to claim their first win in the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday.
China's star striker Wu Lei of Shanghai Port set up Li Ang only two minutes in. Later in the 41st minute, Wu was set up by Oscar to double the lead for Shanghai.
In the second half, Central Coast Mariners's Mikael Doka scored a superb strike from distance and made it 2-1 in the 61st minute, but the Australian club couldn't find an equalizer. Shortly before stoppage time, Oscar set up Matias Vargas to curl home and expand the lead for Shanghai to 3-1.
Central Coast Mariners didn't give up, though. Nicholas Duarte scored with a volley in the last minutes and made it 3-2.
Zheng Zheng celebrates heading in an equalizer for Shandong Taishan at an AFC Champions League match against Yokohama F. Marinos in Jinan, China, October 22, 2024. /CFP
Also on Tuesday, Zheng Zheng's header in injury time helped Shandong Taishan tie Yokohama F. Marinos 2-2. Cryzan scored the opener in the 43rd minute for the hosts. But Marinos netted twice in the second half to take the lead to 2-1.
In injury time, Peng Xinli saved the ball from going out and sent it into the box, defender Zheng was there for a header. The first one found the crossbar, but Zheng headed in the second to earn a late equalizer. The result moved both teams onto four points from the first three matches in the league phase.
In the Middle East, Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al Nassr continued their unbeaten run in the league phase. They played against Esteghlal of Iran and won the game 1-0. In the 81st minute, Al Nassr had a corner, and Ronaldo rose high for a header, but it was blocked by keeper Hossein Hosseini only for Aymeric Laporte to score on the rebound. Al Nassr are two points adrift of domestic rivals Al Hilal and Al Ahli in the western region.