DOHA: Qatar Stars League champions Lekhwiya scored an own-goal and wasted a spot-kick, but still managed to hold Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr 1-1 in a Group A game in the AFC Champions League at home on Tuesday. After a goalless first half, right-back Mohammed Mousa’s own-goal in the 46th minute looked to have complicated things for the cops, who lost to Iran’s Persepolis 3-0 last week, but Slovak winger Vladimir Weiss’ equaliser five minutes later helped them garner a point.
Weiss had a great chance to put his team in the lead, but he fired his penalty straight at Nassr goalkeeper Abdullah Al Shamari in the 61st. The visitors also spurned a spot-kick, in the 80th, when Mohammed Al Sahlawi’s shot was brilliantly saved by keeper Amine Lecomte.
Meanwhile, Persepolis beat Uzbek champions Bunyodkor 1-0 to lead the group with six points. Nassr are second with two points while Bunyodkor and Lekhwiya have one point each.
In Group E, a spectacular overhead kick from striker Gilberto Macena gave Buriram United a last-minute win over Guangzhou R&F. The Thai champions defeated the Chinese 2-1 to go top of the group. Lu Lin had put the home side up after 26 minutes, but South Korean midfielder Ko Seul-Ki was on target two minutes before the break to tie the scores.
In another match in the same group, Masato Kudo scored twice as Kashiwa Reysol cruised to a 5-1 win over Vietnam’s Binh Duong and maintained their unbeaten start while former champions Jeonbuk Motors secured a 4-1 away win over China’s Shandong Luneng courtesy of goals from Eduardo, Han Kyo-Won, Lee Jae-Sung and Leonardo.
South Korean winners Seongnam FC claimed their first win in Group F when Ricardo Bueno’s early spot-kick and Hwang Ui-Jo’s second half strike earned them a 2-0 win over Japan’s Gamba Osaka.
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