Diamanti's debut double inspire Guangzhou winning start in AFC Champions League

Archie Thompson #10 of Melbourne Victory fouls Alessandro Diamanti #23 of Guangzhou Evergrande during the AFC Champions League match between Guangzhou Evergrande and Melbourne Victory at Tianhe Sport Centre on February 26, 2014 in Guangzhou, China.

hina's Guangzhou Evergrande Alessandro Diamanti (C) takes a shot at goal against Australia's Melbourne Victory at the Tianhe Sport Center in Guangzhou, southern China's Guangdong province on February 26, 2014.

Guangzhou Evergrande - who began their defence of the title yesterday, at home to the Australian side Melbourne Victory. And what a game it was with the Chinese side's new boy - Alessandro Diamanti - scoring twice on his debut.

The Italian striker joined Evergrande earlier this month, having won 17 caps for his national side. And he was thrown right into the action just a few weeks after arriving at the club.

And it was Diamanti who had the first effort for the home side, but his free kick is over the bar.

And it was instead the visitors who opened the scoring, 36th minutes in. This free-kick headed out, but what about this for a volley, which falls to Pablo Contreras who taps in the rebound. Melbourne taking the lead.

And five minutes later, the visitors made it 2. And once again it's after a set piece is cleared. This time Leigh Broxham connecting with the volley, and there's no saving that one.

In the second half, Diamanti had another free kick for the home side. But just watch as Contreras sprints back to the goal line. And it turned out to be a good decision, just about getting there to clear it off the line.

Nine minutes later though, and Guangzhou got a goal back. The ball's crossed in and Huang Bowen connects with the volley to make it 2-1.

Diamanti then levelled the score on his debut. And what an incredible goal in your first game. Letting fly from absolutely miles out. The keeper not even moving.

And six minutes after that, Guangzhou took the lead, the league's top scorer last season, Elkeson with a shot on the turn to make it 3-2.

And late on Diamanti put the result beyond doubt, the Italian beating a man on the edge of the box before scoring with the outside of his boot. A nice little jig as a celebration. Scoring twice on his debut. Evergrande coming back from behind to win this one 4-2.

Meanwhile, another Chinese side Guizhou Renhe visited Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale in their opening match in Group H. It was the first time the two sides had met.

The home side controlled the opening exchanges and had the ball in the net as early as the seventh minute, but Yusuke Igawa's close range finish was ruled offside.

Guizhou also had their chances to score, but the midfielder - Yu Hai's - long drive from outside of the penalty area was just wide.

Kawasaki then took the lead just after the half hour mark, through the Brazilian Renato who curls this freekick up and over the wall and into the bottom corner. That, his first ever Asian Champions League goal, giving the hosts the 1-nil lead.

The Chinese FA cup winners tried hard to find the equaliser, with Qu Bo firing in this free-kick in the final minute, but it was saved by Kawasaki's goalkeeper Yohei Nishibe. And the Japanese side held on to their lead, and won their opening game 1-0.