In the second round of the group stage of the 2022/23 AFC Champions League, the three Chinese Super League (CSL) teams failed to win, with Shandong Taishan, Wuhan Sanzhen and Zhejiang all meeting their Waterloo.
Shandong Taishan's home match against Yokohama Marinos was an unexpected 0-1 defeat. The highlight of the match came in the first half, when the opponent's clever forward play tore apart the Taishan defense and gained three valuable points. Taishan is currently in third place in the group stage with one win and one loss so far.
Wuhan Sanzhen's precise shot opened the door to victory for the Chinese Super League champions when they faced Pohang Ironmen away from home. However, Pohang Ironmen quickly equalized. Midfielder Xie Pengfei left the match due to a red card, but instead scored twice after his departure to win 3-1 against the run of play. With a draw and a loss in the group stage, Samchon will host Hanoi of Vietnam in the next round.
Zhejiang hosted Aussie Premier League powerhouse Melbourne and were broken by their opponents shortly after the start. Caputo scored with a header and looked like he was going to get back into the game, but Lennardo's goal couldn't change the final score of 1-2. Zhejiang lost two consecutive rounds of the group stage, the situation is worrying.
