Kawasaki Frontale fought back from a goal down to defeat Nagoya Grampus and take a narrow 2-1 advantage in their Asian Champions League quarter-final following the first leg at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

Socceroo striker Kennedy gave the visitors the lead after 28 minutes, but Frontale hit back in the second half with goals from Kengo Nakamura and Juninho to complete a third victory over their Japanese rivals this season and gain the upper hand ahead of next week's return leg.

The contest began in predictably cagey fashion before Kennedy broke the deadlock after 28 minutes.

The big Australian forward rose above Yusuke Igawa to meet Naoshi Nakamura's cross from deep and despite lacking power, his header squeezed between goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima and the post.

Kawasaki wasted a number of chances before the break with Juninho the main culprit, although the Brazilian was unfortunate to see one effort cleared off the line by Nagoya defender Yoshizumi Ogawa, before eventually levelling in the 59th minute.

Nakamura stood over a free-kick on the left flank but instead of delivering a cross into the box, the Frontale skipper spotted a gap at the near post left by Koichi Hirono and exploited the goalkeeper's mistake with a low shot although the Nagoya wall should have done much better.

Juninho atoned for his profligacy three minutes later when he was on hand to convert from close range after Hirono had done well to tip Hiroyuki Taniguchi's powerful header from Yusuke Mori's free-kick onto the underside of the bar.

Nagoya spurned a glorious chance to grab a stoppage-time equaliser as substitute Yuki Maki was unable to put Hayuma Tanaka's inviting ball across the six-yard box into the back of the net with the goal at his mercy.