Newcomers Guangzhou R&F stunned Japanese treble-winners Gamba Osaka 2-0 on their AFC Champions League debut as the Asian club showpiece got underway on Tuesday.

The Chinese side looked on in envy as city rivals and domestic champions Evergrande won the title in 2013, but they announced themselves in style with the win in Osaka.

Moroccan striker Abderrazaq Hamedallah set the visitors on their way with a mazy run and finish on 11 minutes, which left a back-pedalling Gamba defence red-faced.

And Wang Song ensured a dream opener for R&F, and their new coach Cosmin Contra, in Group F when his deflected free-kick found the net 11 minutes from time.

Yang Xu's second-half double later spared Shandong Luneng's blushes and made it a 100 percent start for Chinese clubs as they beat Binh Duong 3-2 in provincial Thu Dau Mot.

Binh Duong's Nigerian forward Ganiyu Oseni cancelled out Wang Yongpo's opener, before Wang Qiang gave the hosts a shock lead with an own goal on 56 minutes.

But Yang got Shandong back to 2-2 just three minutes later before he completed the great escape in Group E by snatching the winner with 10 minutes to go.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' Group E campaign began with a whimper as the South Korean champions were held 0-0 at home by Japan's Kashiwa Reysol.

But Thailand's Buriram United started with a win when they beat South Korean side Seongnam FC 2-1 at the Thunder Castle stadium in Group F.

In Group A, Qatar champions Lekhwiya crashed to a 3-0 defeat against Persepolis of Iran in a match that saw tempers boil over on several occasions.

After a gritty first half, Mohsen Bengar put the Iranians ahead with a fine header from a Fernando Gabriel free-kick in the 60th minute, and Hadi Nourouzi consolidated six minutes later after receiving a deft pass from Mehdi Taremi inside the penalty area.

Several skirmishes broke out between the teams forcing the officials to intervene and calm down the players.

Lekhwiya, coached by Danish great Michael Laudrup, hardly got to penetrate the Persepolis defence, and their rout was complete when Mohamed Nouri slotted home a penalty in the 83rd minute after he was fouled by Mohamed Moosa.

In Group B, Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor struck once in each half to beat Naft Tehran 2-1.

Georgian Kakha Makharadze put the Uzbek giants ahead in the 48th minute, and although Ali Ghorbani equalized for the Iranians in the 59th, Igor Sergeev put the result beyond doubt with a strike five minutes from close.

In another Group B match, UAE's Al Ain and Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab played out a goalless draw.