Guangzhou come up short again in Asian Champions League

SEOUL: Guangzhou Evergrande are still without a win after two games of Group G in the 2018 AFC Champions League as the two-time winners were held to a 0-0 draw at Cerezo Osaka on Wednesday.

Fabio Cannavaro's team was lacking in ideas in Japan and are now in third place in the four-team group with only the top two progressing to the knockout stage.

Osaka sit in first with four points while South Korea's Jeju United move into second.

Jeju won 2-0 at the home of Thailand's Buriram United. First-half goals from Lee Chang-min and Magno Cruz sealed the win for the visitors.

Guangzhou meanwhile drew to Buriram of Thailand last week. It means the team, Chinese Super League champions for the past seven years, now sit in third place in the group with two points from two games, one above Buriram.

In Group H, Kashima Antlers won 2-1 at the home of Suwon Bluewings of South Korea.

A goal in each half from Mu Kanazaki put the eight-time Japanese champions in control.

Suwon was left to regret a first-half penalty miss from Dejan Damjanovic especially after Brazilian midfielder Cristovam da Silva pulled a late goal back for Suwon who had won 2-0 at Sydney a week earlier.

Sydney rallied from that setback to draw 2-2 at Shanghai Shenhua in an entertaining clash that either team could have won.

Obafemi Martins opened the scoring for the Chinese hosts after 26 minutes only for Luke Wilkshire to level for Sydney shortly after.

The Australian champions then took the lead ten minutes before the break through Alex Brosque but five minutes later, Fredy Guarin volleyed home from the edge of the area to make it 2-2.

Kashima is on top with four points, one more than Suwon. Sydney is in last place with one point, one behind Shanghai in third.