After crashing to a horror loss in Japan against Gamba Osaka, Victory would have expected better at home to Korean side Jeju United.

But despite taking the lead thanks to Danny Allsopp’s deflected opener, Victory again conceded from a set piece and were opened up for the winner six minutes before the end.

Despite sacking coach Ernie Merrick just days before the encounter, the experienced team that started again showed no life.

Of the starting side, only three players were under the age of 30 – Surat Sukha, 28, Marvin Angulo, 24, and debutant Isaka Cernak, 21.

It included a 36-year-old in Kevin Muscat and a 35-year-old in Tommy Pondeljak, who recently signed a one-year deal.

The average age of the starting 11 was 29.9, in comparison to Jeju United’s 26.

But United’s side contained just one player over the age of 30 and they were rewarded with two youngsters getting themselves on the scoresheet.

Hyun-Beom Park, 23, and Hyun-Ho Lee, 22, proved to be the match winners in finding the net, the latter with a superb run and a neat finish.

Caretaker Durakovic thought his team played well but pinpointed a lack of fitness in his side, but perhaps looking at their age might give him some reason as to why they ran out of puff.

The A-League powerhouse needs a revamp and a fresh start, which might have begun when Merrick was shown the door.

Jeju United’s Korean counterparts – Seoul, Jeonbuk Motors and Suwon Bluewings – all found the wins during match day two.

The Bluewings, who drew with Sydney FC on the opening match day, thumped Shanghai Shenhua to go top of Group H.

While the Sky Blues had their match in Japan postponed indefinitely, they have an opportunity when the Chinese side visits in a fortnight.

Back-to-back games against Shanghai could give Sydney some serious momentum going into the backend of the group stage.

Group A

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

PTS

1

Sepahan (Iran)

2

2

0

0

7

2

5

6

2

Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

2

1

0

1

2

2

0

3

3

Al Gharafa (Qatar)

2

0

1

1

0

1

-3

1

4

Al Jazira (UAE)

2

0

1

1

1

5

-4

1

Sepahan 5-1 Al Jazira
Al Gharafa 0-1 Al Hilal

IRAN’S Sepahan can guarantee a spot in the next phase when Al Gharafa visit on match day three.

A thumping win over Al Jazira all but ended the United Arab Emirates’s side’s chances of progressing.

Al Hilal can also gain an advantage if they can overcome the bottom-placed side at home next time out.
 

Group B

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

PTS

1

Al Nasr (Saudi Arabia)

2

1

1

0

4

3

1

4

2

Al Sadd (Qatar)

2

1

1

0

3

2

1

4

3

Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan)

2

0

1

1

3

4

-1

1

4

Esteghlal (Iran)

2

0

1

1

2

3

-1

1

Al Nasr 2-1 Esteghlal
Al Sadd 2-1 Pakhtakor

GROUP B has opened up after all of the first meetings ended as draws with Al Nasr and Al Sadd moving clear at the top.

Wins over Iran’s Esteghlal and Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor respectively gave the two a distinct advantage early in the group.

One will have the chance to move further clear at the top when the two meet on match day three while Pakhtakor and Esteghlal need a result to remain in contention.
 

Group C

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

PTS

1

Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia)

2

2

0

0

4

1

3

6

2

Al Wahda (UAE)

2

0

2

0

2

2

0

2

3

Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan)

2

0

1

1

1

2

-1

1

4

Persepolis (Iran)

2

0

1

1

2

4

-2

1

Bunyodkor 0-1 Al Ittihad
Persepolis 1-1 Al Wahda

AL Ittihad couldn’t have asked for a better match day two as they recorded victory and opened up a four-point buffer at the top of Group C.

A single goal was enough to get past Bunyodkor and they can extend their gap at the bottom even further with a win over Al Wahda in a fortnight.

Again, the bottom two have their chances when they meet as it begins to edge towards do-or-die.
 

Group D

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

PTS

1

Zob Ahan (Iran)

2

1

1

0

2

1

1

4

2

Emirates (UAE)

2

1

0

1

3

2

1

3

3

Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia)

2

0

2

0

1

1

0

2

4

Al Rayyan (Qatar)

2

0

1

1

1

3

-2

1

Emirates 2-0 Al Rayyan
Al Shabab 0-0 Zob Ahan

A WIN for Emirates moved them from the bottom of Group D into second and increased hopes of progress to the next stage.

The United Arab Emirates team won at home against Al Rayyan and if they can get a result away from home against Al Shabab, progression is a real possibility.

It would see them finish with two of their last three games at home, while Al Rayyan need to win to maintain any hope of remaining in contention against Zob Ahan.
 

Group E

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

PTS

1

Tianjin Teda (China)

2

2

0

0

3

1

2

6

2

Gamba Osaka (Japan)

2

1

0

1

6

3

3

3

3

Jeju United (Korea)

2

1

0

1

2

2

0

3

4

Melbourne Victory

2

0

0

2

2

7

-5

0

Melbourne Victory 1-2 Jeju United
Tianjin Teda 2-1 Gamba Osaka

MELBOURNE Victory crashed at home and are now facing a massive uphill battle to qualify for the next round.

Even with caretaker coach Mehmet Durakovic at the helm, Victory remain pointless and travel to China in a must-win game against Tianjin Teda.

The Chinese team overcame Gamba Osaka in a surprise result, but the Japanese outfit can be excused if their minds were elsewhere after the tragic events in their home country.
 

Group F

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

PTS

1

Seoul (Korea)

2

2

0

0

4

0

4

6

2

Hangzhou Lucheng (China)

2

1

0

1

2

3

-1

3

3

Al Ain (UAE)

1

0

0

1

0

1

-1

0

4

Nagoya Grampus (Japan)

1

0

0

1

0

2

-2

0

Nagoya Grampus P-P Al Ain
Seoul 3-0 Hangzhou Lucheng

SEOUL shot clear at the top of Group F but the overall standings are skewed after Nagoya Grampus’s home game against Al Ain was postponed.

Seoul moved three points clear of Hangzhou Lucheng and will maintain the lead regardless of the other result.

But it means the postponed clash is now a must-win for both teams to stay in touch with the top two.
 

Group G

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

PTS

1

Jeonbuk Motors (Korea)

2

2

0

0

5

0

5

6

2

Shandong Luneng (China)

2

1

0

1

2

1

1

3

3

Cerezo Osaka (Japan)

2

1

0

1

2

3

-1

3

4

Arema (Indonesia)

2

0

0

2

1

6

-5

0

Shandong Luneng 2-0 Cerezo Osaka
Arema 0-4 Jeonbuk Motors

JEONBUK Motors thrashed Arema 4-0, all but condemning the Indonesian outfit to a first round exit.

Still without a point, Arema couldn’t afford to be hammered so easily at home by the Koreans.

Shandong Luneng registered an important victory to move into second over Cerezo Osaka as the battle between them could decide who gets through with Jeonbuk Motors.
 

Group H

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

PTS

1

Suwon Bluewings (Korea)

2

1

1

0

4

0

4

4

2

Kashima Antlers (Japan)

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

3

Sydney FC

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

4

Shanghai Shenhua (China)

2

0

1

1

0

4

-4

1

Kashima Antlers P-P Sydney
Suwon Bluewings 4-0 Shanghai Shenhua

SYDNEY FC should be eyeing a serious opportunity to create some momentum when they welcome Shanghai Shenhua for the next match day.

After their clash with Kashima Antlers was postponed, the Sky Blues will play hosts to Shanghai Shenhua next time out with an eye on the top two.

While the meeting has been postponed indefinitely, the Antlers face an important trip to Suwon Bluewings, who belted Shanghai 4-0 to ensure the two were at bookends of Group H.

AFC Champions League Leading Goal-Scorers
3 – HA Tae-Goon (Suwon Bluewings)

2 – Christian WILHELMSSON (Al Hilal), Dejan DAMJANOVIC (Seoul), Ahmad JAMSHIDIAN (Sepahan), LEE Keun-Ho (Gamba Osaka), Nabil DAOUDI (Emirates), LUIZ HENRIQUE (Jeonbuk Motors), RODRIGO PIMPAO (Cerezo Osaka), Ibrahima TOURE (Sepahan), Abdelmalek ZIAYA (Al Ittihad)