Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande was held to a 2-2 draw by K League Classic club Suwon Samsung Bluewings at the Suwon World Cup Stadium on Wednesday in the second round of group stage competitions in the 2017 AFC Champions League.

Guangzhou imports Ricardo Goulart and Alan Carvalho scored the goals for World Cup-winning head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's side, who were stretched to their limit by the hard-fighting Bluewings in South Korea.

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Suwon import Santos, also a compatriot of Goulart and Alan, opened the scoring in the 15th minute of the match before Goulart leveled the count ten minutes later with a right-footed shot from outside of the box off a headed assist by midfielder Liao Lisheng, as per Yonhap News.

Another Brazilian, striker Johnathan, then put Suwon back in the lead in the 32nd with his own right-footer following a corner kick by team captain Yeom Ki-hun. Johnathan almost made it a two-goal lead for the Bluewings in the 39th, but his header knocked off Guangzhou keeper Zeng Cheng's crossbar. The hosts settled to a 2-1 lead at the halftime break, though.

It looked like a lost game for the two-time Champions League winners, but Alan made his move late in the game, burying a close-range right-footer in the 81st minute to equalize the match. Both teams went scoreless after that to settle for the tie and a share of a point in the overall standings.

"We didn't play badly," Scolari told reporters during the post-match press conference, via the Herald-Whig. "Suwon is a good team and while we conceded from two corners, this is early in the season and there is time to improve."

Despite the draw, Guangzhou remained on top of Group G with four points as the other group fixture between Eastern and Kawasaki Frontale also ended in a 1-1 tie. Suwon and Kawasaki now have two points each while Eastern is at the bottom with one point.

The Southern China Tigers will next face Kawasaki on March 14 at their home ground of Tianhe Stadium.

TagsAFC Champions League, AFC Champions League 2017, 2017 AFC Champions League group stage, Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC, Suwon Samsung Bluewings