Kawasaki Frontale started their 2014 AFC Champions League campaign with a 1-0 win over Guizhou Renhe at home, but Yokohama F. Marinos lost 3-0 away to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in Korea Republic on Wednesday night.
　In Group H, Kawasaki, appearing in the ACL for the fourth time and for the first time since 2010, displayed attacking football as they took the initiative of the game.
　New Brazilian midfielder Paulinho combined well with the rest of the team, while attackers Okubo Yoshito, Kobayashi Yu and Nakamura Kengo helped put the visitors under pressure.
　Kazama Yahiro’s side went ahead in the 31st minute when Brazilian Renato fired in a free-kick. The hosts controlled the game after that and created a number of chances but couldn’t produce another goal.
　Kazama said, “Our players played well, getting the win by running the ball well and making good decisions according to each situation and what our opponents were doing, so I am happy about that.
　“This is only the start of the group stage and it is too early to talk about qualification for the next stage. We still have many things to fix in our game, but I think we showed some parts of our football today.”
　Guizhou coach Gong Lei lamented the early substitution of Bosnian forward Zlatan Muslimovic after he picked up an injury 28 minutes into the game. He was missing key midfielders Zvjezdan Misimovic of Bosnia to injury and Hyuri of Brazil for registration reasons.
　“Frontale were fast in the way they played and we couldn’t cope with them,” Gong said. “The absence of our foreign players affected us a lot and the early substitution of Muslimovic changed the momentum of our team.”
　In Korea, Marinos returned to the Asian competition for the first time in nine years, but were shocked by Jeonbuk in their Group G match.
　Marinos were put under pressure from the start but managed to finish the first half 0-0.
　However, the Emperor’s Cup winners gave away the opener in the 61st minute through Lee Seung Gi, and gave the Korean midfielder too much space eight minutes later as he scored his second.
　In the 72nd minute, the visitors gave up a penalty, which was converted by substitute Brazilian midfielder Leonardo.
　In their next match on March 12, Marinos will face defending ACL champions Guangzhou Evergrande of China, while Kawasaki will visit Ulsan Hyundai in Korea Republic.