With Japanese superstar Keisuke Honda playing his first competitive club match in Japan since he left Nagoya Grampus in 2007, it was he who had the first sight of goal but his effort was straight at Hirotsugu Nakabayashi.

But less than a minute after, the home side had the ball in the back of the net at the other end after Brazilian striker Patric, getting the better of the Melbourne defence, cut the ball back for Shunki Higashi to sidefoot the ball home to give his side a dream start.

After an even opening period, Sho Ito silenced the home crowd at Jinan Olympic Sports Centre as he gave defending champions Kashima the lead on 10 minutes, linking with Leo Silva and then striding into the area to steer home a low shot.

The two-time J.League champions were unlucky to concede a late penalty and lose 1-0 to Shanghai SIPG last week, but the result meant Kawasaki have now not won in the competition for eight games in a run that stretches back to the first leg of the 2017 quarter-finals.

Kawasaki then conceded deep into stoppage time to draw 2-2 with Yokohama F. Marinos on Sunday to mean they have now drawn their opening three games of the J.League season and sit in the bottom half of the table.

The side from Korea Republic played out a scoreless draw with Sydney FC in Australia last week before returning home and repeating the scoreline against Gangwon in K League 1 on Sunday.

Ulsan and Shanghai met for the first time in the competition last year, playing out a 2-2 draw in Shanghai then, a year to the day before Wednesday’s meeting, the Chinese side won 1-0 in Ulsan.

Zhang Xizhe drew Beijing level with Jeonbuk on Matchday One last week before they eventually lost 3-1; however, they responded in perfect fashion by posting a 4-0 victory over Chongqing Dangdai on Saturday to maintain their 100 percent start in the Chinese Super League.

Beijing twice faced Urawa in the 2015 group stage, winning 2-0 at home and drawing 1-1 in Japan with forward Yu Dabao scoring in both games as they ultimately advanced while Urawa exited.

Al Nassr wasted no time in getting down to business as Brazilian midfielder Giuliano fired them in front just four minutes into the match.

Giuliano found space inside the Zobahan box and swept home from close range after Hamad Al Mansour advanced on the right and sent a low cross.

Lokomotiv had collected all three points in their opening fixture at home against Al Wahda, while Al Rayyan were subjected to a 5-1 defeat by Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad last week in Jeddah.

The visitors came racing off the blocks and stormed into the lead within four minutes of kick-off to the stunned silence of the home crowd.

Temurkhuja Abdukholikov outmuscled Rodrigo Tabata in midfield to gain possession of the ball and exchanged passes with Jamshid Iskanderov before crossing for Diyorjon Turapov who tapped in at the far post to give Lokomotiv the lead early on.