Since moving to Shanghai SIPG in 2016, Brazilian superstar Hulk has become one of the most dangerous and threatening strikers on the continent, with 10 goals in 17 AFC Champions League appearances for the Chinese side.

But as many followers of Asian football will be well aware, this isn’t the first time Hulk has played club football in Asia.

Ulsan had an excellent chance in the third minute but Yohei Toyoda headed over from just six yards out.

They threatened again when Kim In-sung rounded Yan Junling in the Shanghai goal but his cut-back evaded his teammates.

The visitors finally had an effort in the 30th minute when Oscar’s free-kick was tipped over by Oh Seong-hoon.

Six minutes later, another Oscar free-kick almost caught out Oh Seong-hoon but the keeper managed to tip the ball onto the bar.

In the 40th minute, there was a remarkable miss from Toyoda. Kim In-sung crossed low across goal and the striker shot over from inside the six-yard box.

And two minutes later, a free-kick was deflected into the path of Richard Windbichler but the Austrian volleyed against the bar.

Wu Lei and Odil Ahmedov were introduced by Shanghai at half-time as they attempted to change the course of the game.

And there was a reward for the away side five minutes into the second half when Hulk’s brilliant run saw him surge into the box and cross for Elkeson to stroke home the opening goal.

Ulsan continued to dominate possession but struggled to create until Mislav Orsic’s low drive from 20 yards brought a fine save from Yan Junling with 20 minutes remaining.

Elkeson and Wu Lei almost added a second in added time as Shanghai held on to book their place in the Round of 16.

The result puts Shanghai SIPG five points clear at the top of the group with 10 points from their four games, while Ulsan Hyundai remain second, level on five points with Melbourne Victory, but ahead on goal difference.

Both teams have home fixtures on Matchday Five as Shanghai host Kawasaki Frontale, while Ulsan face Melbourne Victory in a match that could decide who joins Shanghai in the last 16.

In the Group F Matchday Four tie, Kawasaki – quarter-finalists last year but yet to pick up three points prior to kick-off – started the stronger and Kei Chinen forced Lawrence Thomas into a smart stop before a Yoshito Okubo rocket from outside the area rattled the crossbar inside the opening 10 minutes.

The hosts responded, though, and James Troisi almost profited from a slip by Kawasaki goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong that left his goal exposed. The Australia international’s attempt, however, was cleared off the line by the backpedaling Kawasaki backline.

The back-and-forth nature of the match continued right up until the interval, although neither side were able to end the deadlock before half time.

After the break, the parity continued with Terry Antonis and Okubo seeing shots go narrowly wide at either end, before Thomas was called into more acrobatics to turn away a 20-yard strike from Kentaro Moriya with under a quarter hour remaining.

With 10 minutes to go, the visitors thought they had gone ahead when substitute Yu Kobayashi stooped to head home at the back post, but his effort was ruled out for offside.

And Kawasaki’s disappointment was deepened further just before the game entered stoppage time, when Barbarouses finished off a well-worked team move to give Melbourne all three points and see the Japanese club go a fourth game without a win in this year’s continental game.

In their penultimate ties of the group stage on April 4, Melbourne will travel to Korea Republic’s Ulsan Hyundai while Kawasaki, who must now win both remaining matches to stay within a slim a chance of a place in the last 16, face a daunting task when there are hosted by Shanghai SIPG of China.

As the competition takes a three-week break, join the-AFC.com as we take a look at the week in numbers.

The home side looked in control for much of the match, but were left to rue their profligacy as an undermanned Sydney FC fought hard to draw level in the second half.

Mu-gical

While Kashima Antlers may have rested a number of their first team regulars, one player who wasn’t rested was striker Mu Kanazaki, and the 29-year-old showed why with a standout performance.

Scoring his team’s only goal of the night after a defensive mistake from Josh Brillante, he was a constant thorn in the side of Sydney FC’s defence all night. As his heat map (below) shows, he worked tirelessly across the front third all night.

Buriram spent long spells chasing the ball at Osaka Nagai Stadium, but in the end their greater effectiveness delivered a precious point as Group G heats up.

Football history was made at Hong Kong Stadium on Wednesday night in the most dramatic fashion. Deadlocked in a goalless stalemate, Kitchee had failed to break down a Kashiwa side that had been reduced to 10 men since the 15th minute.

Indeed, the Japanese side had gone close to scoring through Brazilian duo Ramon Lopes and Cristiano, while Kitchee's best chances had often come from distance. But there was to be a moment of magic that turned the tie on its head, and write a new chapter for Hong Kong football.