China's Dalian Shide and Shanghai Shenhua scored opening victories in the first round of the Asian Champions League (ACL) yesterday while Japan's representatives conceded defeat to South Korean opposition.   

Away in Da Nang, Vietnam, Dalian Shide, the 2005 Chinese Super League champions, won their Group E match 2-0 after Zou Jie opened his account five minutes from the break with a header. Ji Mingyi drove home the second three minutes into the second half. Da Nang's Nuro Tualibudine had a goal disallowed for offside midway through the first half.
  
At home Shanghai Shenhua celebrated a convincing 3-1 over Dong Tam Long An of Vietnam. Wang Ke gave Shenhua a 10th-minute lead with a strong shot past the Dong Tam keeper. Xie Hui then struck with two headers in the 14th and 54th minutes.

However, the victory was soured by the dismissal of Li Weifeng in the 65th minute.

Brazilian striker Antonio gave Dong Tam a little glimmer of hope when he pulled a goal back for the Vietnamese side but nothing further followed.
  
The disqualification of Indonesia's Persebaya Surabaya and Thailand's Provincial Electricity Authority from this year's tournament means that Shenhua and Dong Tam are the only teams competing in Group G. The two will meet in Vietnam on May 3 to decide the final outcome of the group.
  
But it was different story for J-League champions Gamba Osaka who looked to be heading for victory against Chonbuk Motors before 'supersub' Kim Hyeung-bum dramatically pounced with two late strikes to give the Korean Cup winners a 3-2 victory.
  
Kim came off the bench in the 62nd minute with the home side trailing 2-1. The 22-year-old added to a 30th minute Milton Rodriguez penalty after a goal either side of half-time from former Motor Magno Alves and Yasuhito Endo.
  
Wednesday was a miserable night for Japan with Tokyo Verdy going down 2-0 to K-League champions Ulsan in Tokyo with second half goals from Choi Sung-kuk and Machado.
  
The top team from each group goes into the knock-out stage and Ulsan are already halfway there as their group only has two teams. Tobacco Monopoly of Thailand and Indonesia's Arema Malang were thrown out for failing to submit paperwork on time.
  
Elsewhere, Uzbek giants Pakhtakor, the six-time league champions who have twice reached the ACL semi-finals, were too good in Group A for Syrian minnows Al Ittihad, winning 2-0.
  
Iranian champions Foolad thumped Kuwaits Al Qadisiya 6-0.
  
Winner of the tournament will pocket US$600,000 and a place in the FIFA Club World Cup in Tokyo in December -- known as the Club World Championships.
  
The two-leg final is played in November.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2006)