Former winners Gamba Osaka finally won their first game of the season at the seventh attempt Tuesday as Japanese clubs ran riot in the AFC Champions League. Gamba, who had gone six J-League and Champions League games without a win and dumped their coach last week, were aided by two second-half penalties as they overcame Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor 3-1 in Group E.
Later fellow J-Leaguers Nagoya Grampus stormed to the top of Group G at the halfway stage with an emphatic 3-0 away win over China's Tianjin Teda. South Korea's Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, the 2010 champions, were held 1-1 by Australia's Central Coast Mariners and Pohang Steelers caught Adelaide United at the top of Group E courtesy of an own goal in their 1-0 win. Gamba had halted a five-match losing streak with a 1-1 domestic draw at the weekend, and they continued their revival under club legend Masanobu Matsunami with a convincing win at home.