Losing 2-0 at Kashima Soccer Stadium was far from an ideal result for Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian, especially after they had held the game goalless for an hour before Leo Silva, and then Serginho, struck for the hosts.

Nevertheless, former AC Milan star Alexandre Pato believes that the result is still not a foregone conclusion with the return meeting in China still to come in three weeks' time.

The hosts began brightly and had an early sight on goal when Yasushi Endo headed wide from close in after a fine Koki Anzai delivery from the left, and the captain was again off target in the 14th minute as he drilled past the left post.

Go Oiwa’s team continued to dominate and Kento Misao had an effort saved by goalkeeper Zhang Lu, before Yuma Suzuki was inches away from connecting with a teasing Endo cross into the box as the game remained goalless.

The 2011 champions began the game brightly but were dealt a blow in the 12th minute, conceding after an unfortunate mistake.

A high ball into the Al Sadd box was headed down by Boualem Khoukhi for his keeper Meshaal Aissa to pick up, but the young custodian inadvertently let it slip past him to gift the hosts an opener.

Esteghlal maintained their lead right up to halftime, after surviving a scare in injury time when Akram Afif's shot rebounded off the post to be gathered by Esteghlal keeper Mehdi Rahmati.

 

The result meant that the Qatari champions matched Ulsan Hyundai's record of nine consecutive wins in the AFC Champions League.

Al Duhail nearly seized the initiative early on with front man Youssef El Arabi narrowly failing to connect with Nam Tae-hee's header across the goalmouth in the fourth minute.

In the 15th minute, the home side broke the deadlock through young striker Ali. Summer signing Edmilson sent in a teasing cross from the left and the unmarked Ali headed in with aplomb to get his second goal of the tournament.

Persepolis then came close to equalising in the 23rd minute, but Omid Alishah's effort flew just wide of Amine Lecomte's goal.

The Algerian bagged a brace to help the 2011 AFC Champions League winners come from behind to defeat Esteghlal 3-1 at Azadi Stadium.

Young goalkeeper Meshaal Aissa failed to control a backpass, allowing the ball to go under him and into the back of the net to gift Esteghlal the opener.

When the AFC Champions League wheels resume turning with the last eight, some teams will have a new look, with new managers and players joining over the summer, while for others, stability is the key weapon as they pursue continental glory.

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Jeonbuk’s Lee Dong-gook and Suwon’s Dejan Damjanovic are the two leading scorers in AFC Champions League history with 36 and 32 goals respectively, since the 2002-03 revamp.

And, although with a combined age of 76, they still remain among the goals in the 2018 campaign.

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