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CHINESE champion Guangzhou Evergrande opened its 2017 Asian Champions League campaign with a 5-1 thrashing of 2011 finalist Jeonbuk Motors in Korea yesterday. Two goals from Brazilian striker Cleo and another from Argentine midfielder Dario Conca gave the visitors a 3-0 lead before Jeong Shung-hoon replied for the South Korean team in the 70th minute. Conca scored his second for Guangzhou two minutes later and Brazilian forward Muriqui wrapped up a convincing Group H win in the 75th. Jeonbuk found an instant response as Jeong's exquisite backheel from Lee Dong-gook's low cross reduced the deficit with 20 minutes remaining. Guangzhou, though, emphatically responded as Conca added his second of the night with a superb 25-yard strike with 17 minutes remaining before Muriqui found his way onto the scoresheet as the Brazilian showed superb control on the edge of the area before drilling a strike under Kim from the edge of the area. "It was a wonderful match because we were able to score five goals. But this is not the end, it is just the beginning. There are still five matches to play and we have to be ready for all of them." said Guangzhou's Korean coach Lee Jang-soo. "We had good tactics and good systems for the match, but we lost our captain Cho Sung-hwan due to an injury very early in the game and that was tough as he is very important for our team," said Jeonbuk coach Lee Heung-sil. In 2011, Guangzhou kicked off the new era in China by embarking on a massive spending spree that helped the team win the domestic title for the first time and by a margin of 15 points. | 
