On September 18, Beijing time, the first round of the AFC Champions League Elite League in East Asia ended. Among the three teams in Japan, Yokohama Mariner lost 3-7 away to Gwangju FC, but Kawasaki Frontale won 1-0 away against Ulsan HD, and the three teams won 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss, and Korea 3 teams, in addition to Gwangju victory, Pohang Steelers and Ulsan HD both lost, with a record of only 1 win and 2 losses. The 3 teams of the Chinese Super League, Taishan and Shenhua both got off to a good start, and Harbour drew 2-2 with Johor and missed a good start.
Gwangju FC (Korea) 7-3 Yokohama Mariners (Japan)
Just 2 minutes into the opening game, Yasser Asani scored for Gwangju Blitz to make it 1-0. In the 15th minute, Oh Hou-sung helped Gwangju FC take a 2-0 lead. In the 34th minute, Elber pulled one point back for Yokohama Marino, 1-2.
In the 55th minute, Yasser scored twice to give Gwangju FC a 3-1 lead, and in the 59th minute, Elber scored twice to make it 2-3 for Yokohama Marino. Gwangju FC then scored three goals in a row from Beka Mikkeltaze, Lee Hee-kyun and Gabriel to take a 6-2 lead. In the 78th minute, Yokohama's Eduardo went off in red. In the 85th minute, Takuma Nishimura helped Yokohama recover 1 goal again, 3-6. In stoppage time, Yasser scored a hat, and Gwangju FC finally got off to a good start 7-3.
Shandong Taishan (China) 3-1 Central Coast Mariners
Buriram United (Thailand) 0-0 Vissel Kobe (Japan)
The two teams drew 0-0 and failed to get off to a good start.
Shanghai Shenhua (China) 4-1 POSCO (Korea)
Ulsan HD (Korea) 0-1 Kawasaki Frontale (Japan)
In the first half, both teams were scoreless, and in the 54th minute, Marsinho broke the deadlock for Kawasaki Frontale on the road, 1-0. Neither team was able to achieve anything, with Kawasaki Frontale getting off to a good start 1-0 away.
Shanghai Port (China) 2-2 Johor Bahru (Malaysia)