A sickening head injury to Guangzhou Evergrande goalkeeper Zeng Cheng took the gloss off a 3-2 win over holders Western Sydney Wanderers in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday.

Play was halted for nearly 15 minutes after Zeng's collision with team-mate Kim Young-Gwon in the second half before he was stretchered off in a neck brace and taken to hospital. Reports said the 28-year-old suffered a broken jaw in the incident, which resulted in a 17-minute period of stoppage time at Parramatta Stadium. Record signing Ricardo Goulart's hat-trick had put Guangzhou 3-1 ahead, although the reigning champions threatened a comeback when Romeo Castelen pulled one back in injury time.

Despite Zeng's injury, it was an important win for the wealthy Chinese club who, as defending champions, were shocked by the Wanderers in last year's quarter-finals.

Rookie coach Fabio Cannavaro hailed 15-million-euro signing Goulart as the second win of his fledgling managerial career put Guangzhou top of Group H with a maximum six points.

"He had a very good performance today scoring three goals," Cannavaro said of the Brazilian forward.

"But it's only his second Champions League match so he will continue to improve."

The game in Sydney was Guangzhou's first of the post-Marcello Lippi era after their highly successful former coach quit his post as technical director last week.

Wanderers coach Tony Popovic was watching from the stands as he serves a two-match ban over an altercation during last year's bad-tempered quarter-final.

Goulart drilled Guangzhou Evergrande ahead in the 19th minute after fellow Brazilian Elkeson's back header and Gao Lin's pass in a neat build-up.

Iacopo La Rocca equalised 12 minutes after the break with a near-post header from a corner, but within a minute Goulart scored again with a slick finish from Gao's cross.

The Wanderers paid for more slack defending when Gao's cross was only played into the path of Goulart, who rammed home for his hat-trick and fourth in two games on 65 minutes.

Zeng caused concern after his clash with Korean team-mate Kim. Australia was rocked by the death of cricketer Phillip Hughes after an on-pitch head injury in Sydney in November.

In the extended stoppage time, Dutch substitute Castelen scored with a free header to fire up the home supporters and provide a tense finish.

But Guangzhou held firm to hand the Wanderers only their second home loss in the competition, after their 3-1 defeat to Ulsan Hyundai in their debut campaign last year.

Elsewhere in Group H, Kim Jin-Kyu struck in the 66th minute as FC Seoul, 1-0 losers to Guangzhou in their opener last week, overcame Kashima Antlers by the same scoreline.

And in Group G, a second-minute goal from 19-year-old Brandon Borrello was enough to give A-League champions Brisbane Roar a 1-0 away win over Urawa Red Diamonds.