Love brace sends Shandong top

Peter Utaka opened the scoring for Beijing Guo'an.

A convincing performance from Shandong Luneng saw the Chinese Super League runners-up chalk up an important 3-1 away win over Japan's Cerezo Osaka in the AFC Champions League on Tuesday at Nagai Stadium.

Brazilian midfielder Aloisio opened the scoring on the fifth minute before compatriot Vagner Love added a second halfway through the first half.

Prolific striker Vagner Love was on the scoresheet again four minutes before the hour mark to put the game beyond doubt although Yoichiro Kakitani did score a consolation for the home side with six minutes remaining.

With the win, Shandong avenged a 0-4 defeat that it had suffered at the same ground to Cerezo in the 2011 tournament and moved to the top of Group E on goal difference.

It was joined on four points by Korean double-winners Pohang Steelers, which beat Buriram United 2-1 in Thailand thanks to first-half goals by Kim Tae-soo and Kim Seung-dae.

In Group F, Korean side FC Seoul stayed top after coming from behind to draw 1-1 at Beijing Guo'an.

Nigerian forward Peter Utaka gave the Chinese club a 20th minute lead but Go Yo-han came off the bench to fire home the equalizer in the 71st minute.

Go could have given the 2013 AFC Champions League runner-up a second win in a row when he was sent clear in stoppage time but he was crudely cut down outside the Beijing box by goalkeeper Yang Zhi, who received a red card for his cynical challenge.