Title-holders Kashima Antlers pulled off one of the AFC Champions League's great comebacks as they scored twice in injury time to beat Gyeongnam FC 3-2 Tuesday. Takeshi Kanamori scored in the 91st minute and Serginho struck superbly in the 93rd to snatch a stunning win after Kashima was 2-0 down with 15 minutes left and then had a man sent off. Gyeongnam's Woo Ju-sung headed the game's second own goal to give the Japanese visitors hope at 2-1, but it looked like mission impossible when Tomoya Inukai saw red with six minutes left. However, Kanamori's close-range volley and Serginho's sizzling shot on the turn stole victory as the Group E table-toppers moved to nine games unbeaten in the competition. Second-placed Shandong Luneng maintained pressure with a 2-1 win over Johor Darul Ta'zim, and Cedric Bakambu scored a hat trick as Beijing Guoan beat Buriram United 3-1 for their first victory in Group G. A niggly first half in rain-soaked Changwon ended with Kashima goalkeeper Kwoun Sun-tae being stretchered off after an inadvertent stamp by Gyeongnam's Lee Kwang-jin. Kashima's Inukai was yellow-carded for elbowing Lee but there was worse to come for the defender on 56 minutes when he dived to direct a header low and into his own goal. Ko Kyung-min hit the post for the hosts before English midfielder Jordon Mutch's volley from a corner put them 2-0 up and on course for an upset with 19 minutes to play. Gyeongnam defender Woo Ju-sung scored the game's second own goal, again from a header, to make it 2-1 but Kashima's hopes of a comeback were rocked when Inukai received a second yellow card. However, Kanamori poached the equalizer on 91 minutes, and two minutes later Serginho's turn-and-shot fizzed into the top corner to seal a thrilling comeback. In Jinan, Shandong's expensive imports made the difference as Marouane Fellaini's near-post header and Graziano Pelle's penalty — his fifth goal of the competition — handed the Chinese Super League side a 2-1 win over Johor. But the goal of the game was the consolation strike from Safawi Rasid, who cut inside on 59 minutes and curled one left-footed into the top corner. Beijing's Bakambu scored twice in the first half-hour and once after the break as he stole the show against Buriram, while Adriano's 77th-minute winner put Jeonbuk Motors top of Group G as it beat Urawa Reds 1-0. UAE giant Al-Ain bounced back from a two-goal deficit to clinch a thrilling 2-2 away draw against Qatar's Al-Duhail Monday. Karim Boudiaf had put the hosts ahead in the ninth minute of the Group C match in Doha as Al-Duhail looked to bounce back from the disappointment of finishing second to Al-Sadd in the Qatar Stars League. But after the prolific Youssef El Arabi helped Rui Faria's side consolidate with a 32nd-minute strike, Al-Ain hit its groove and began clawing back into the game. It reaped an immediate reward for its efforts when Jamal Maroof pounced on a headed pass from Tongo Doumbia after receiving a long ball from goalkeeper Khalid Eisa and calmly found the mark in the 35th minute. Al-Ain was the more industrious side in the second half and created several opportunities, although it failed to take advantage of a penalty in the 53rd minute. Lecomte, however, went from hero to villain in a matter of minutes as he failed to collect Maroof's cross cleanly and Marcus Berg equalised before the hour. Meanwhile, Iran's Zobahan shrugged off an early goal deficit to outclass the UAE's Al-Wasl 3-1 at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai. Brazilian Caio had put Al-Wasl ahead in the 14th minute but the host fell apart after that as Nigerian Ighodaro Osaguana (16), Amir Motahari (35) and Hamid Bouhamdan (86) all found the target to give Zobahan a comfortable win in Group A. — Agencies
