Kashima Antlers scored three second-half goals to beat Pohang Steelers 3-0 in the eastern league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite, maintaining their perfect start to the competition. The matchday 3 tie at Mercari Stadium in Kashima on Wednesday 28 October was goalless at half-time before Kashima broke Pohang's resistance in the final 21 minutes, joining fellow J-League side Vissel Kobe on nine points from three matches as the only teams with perfect records remaining in the eastern side of the draw.

Three goals in 21 minutes

Ryuta Koike broke the deadlock in the 69th minute, redirecting Matheus Bueno's centre past goalkeeper Hwang In-jae with an improvised finish off his chest. Aleksandar Cavric doubled the lead when he scored at the second attempt, having seen his initial shot hit the post, and Bueno completed the scoring from close range two minutes from time. Koike said afterwards that the team's most important goal was to make it three consecutive wins in the Asian Champions League, adding that Kashima had not been able to win matches at home recently and things had not been going well in the league.

Only Kobe match Kashima's record

Elsewhere in the east, Gamba Osaka were held to a 1-1 draw by Thailand's Buriram United, with Eduardo Mancha netting just before the interval for the visitors and Takashi Usami equalising after 66 minutes. Buriram captain Kenny Dougall said he was proud of his team for coming to Japan and performing as they did, while conceding that taking the lead and not winning was disappointing. The top eight finishers in each 16-team league, in east and west Asia, will advance to the last 16 in March, with the quarter-finals, semi-final and final played on a centralised basis in Saudi Arabia in April and May.

Sources: Reuters and AFC.