Tarek Elrich put the Jets ahead after he pounced on a Marko Jesic shot that was deflected onto the post. Elrich was first to the rebound and cooly slotted it home past the keeper's outstretched hands.

Substitute Keiji Tamada's second-half free-kick secured the draw for Nagoya Grampus at home to Newcastle Jets in a Group E clash of the Asian Champions League today.

Tamada struck just after the hour mark to cancel out Elrich's early goal.

The result means the Japanese side go top of the standings with five points while Jets are point behind in second place.

Newcastle started strongly and dealt the hosts an early blow when Elrich scored in the ninth minute.

Jesic hit a shot from the edge of the area that goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki managed to palm onto the post, however Elrich was on hand to fire home the rebound.

That goal put the Jets in the ascendancy and they could have had a second six minutes later when Sasho Petrovski broke and squared a pass to the well-placed Elrich, however he was denied the chance to pull the trigger by a last ditch challenge.

The hosts, meanwhile, were struggling to create anything of note in the final third with Magnum heading wide from close range in their only real chance of the first half.

Narazaki did well to deny Petrovski soon after the restart when the striker attempted to unleash a shot goalwards.

But Nagoya were level in the 64th minute when they were awarded a free-kick 20 yards from goal and Tamada stepped up to curl an effort over the wall and into the back of the net with goalkeeper Ben Kennedy rooted to the spot.

Keita Sugimoto had the chance to win it for the hosts late on when he dribbled past a defender on the edge of the area but fired high over the bar.