Shanghai SIPG’s prolific marksman Elkeson scored with an outrageous 45-yard effort as China’s Brazilian imports justified their expensive price tags in the AFC Champions League yesterday.
Hulk, a 55mn euro signing from Zenit St Petersburg, was another Brazilian on the scoresheet as Andre Villas-Boas’s SIPG kept their 100% record in Group F with a 3-2 win against Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds. SIPG’s rivals, Jiangsu Suning also dispatched Japanese opposition as former Chelsea midfielder Ramires was enjoying a carnival of his own at Gamba Osaka, scoring the only goal in a man-of-the-match performance.
Elkeson’s stunning strike past the stranded goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa put Andre Villas-Boas’s SIPG 2-0 ahead on the stroke of half-time after Shi Ke’s headed opener. With Brazil international and record 60mn euro signing Oscar pulling the strings in midfield it soon became 3-0 on 52 minutes when Hulk used all his strength to brush off three challenges before slotting through the hapless Nishikawa’s legs. Urawa got one back against the run of play when Rafael Silva was hauled down in the box and got up to convert the penalty himself. And Wataru Endo’s scrambled goal six minutes from time gave SIPG a few nervy moments before the full-time whistle.
Meanwhile in Osaka, Ramires was running the show as Jiangsu, bankrolled by the giant Suning group that also controls Inter Milan, stayed on top of Group H with a 1-0 win as the big-spending club go in search of their first Asian title.
The Brazilian midfielder, who cost Jiangsu 28mn euros from Chelsea in January 2016, struck a gorgeous finish with his left foot from 20 yards six minutes before half-time. Gamba threw everything forward in the second half as they went in search of an equaliser, but it was Jiangsu who went closest to another goal with some lightning counter-attacking led by Ramires and fellow Brazilian Alex Teixeira, who cost 50 mn euros from Shakhtar Donetsk. The result put Jiangsu five points clear at the top of Group H with a perfect three wins from three games.
Former Asian champions Western Sydney Wanderers had lost both of their opening Group F games but they stunned FC Seoul 3-2 in the Korean capital in the upset of the night.

Results
Group H
Adelaide United (AUS) 3 (Diawara pen 51, Cirio 73, Ochieng 85) Jeju United (KOR) 3 (Mendy 61, Marcelo Toscano 71, Kwon 84)
Gamba Osaka (JPN) 0 Jiangsu Suning 1 (CHN) (Ramires 39)

Group F
FC Seoul (KOR) 2 (Yun 66, 72) Western Sydney Wanderers (AUS) 3 (Scott 24, Antonis pen 40, Sotirio 63)
Shanghai SIPG (CHN) 3 (Shi Ke 10, Elkeson 45+1, Hulk 52) Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN) 2 (Rafael Silva pen 73, Endo 84)