Vulnerability at set-pieces cost Liu Zhiyu’s young Chinese side as the J-League club scored twice from headers at Riki Harakawa corners as Hiroaki Okuno and Tiago Pagnussat both found the target.

The former Montenegro international forward’s low shot skidded under Port goalkeeper Worawut Srisupa in the 79th minute to take the former FC Seoul and Suwon Samsung Bluewings forward level on 37 goals with Korea Republic’s Lee Dong-gook.

Damjanovic’s goal guaranteed all three points for the Hong Kong Premier League champions after Roberto’s reactive volley eight minutes before halftime had given Alex Chu’s side the lead against the run of play in the Group J meeting.

The two sides opened their campaigns with wins and with only the group winners assured of a place in the Round of 16, both will be eager for another three points which would see them open a gap at the top of the standings.

Nagoya worked hard to defeat Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim 1-0 on Matchday One while Pohang beat Thailand’s Ratchaburi FC 2-0.

Ratchaburi suffered a 2-0 defeat against Korea Republic's Pohang Steelers, while Johor Darul Ta’zim lost 1-0 to Nagoya Grampus of Japan on Matchday One.

The first team from the Garden City in a decade to appear on Asian club football’s greatest stage, the Stags arrived in Uzbekistan as outsiders in a group featuring two former AFC Champions League winners.

But despite their decorated Group H rivals, last year’s Singapore Premier League runners-up won't turn their backs on the freewheeling style that has made them one of Southeast Asia’s most watchable teams in 2021.

After failing to navigate the playoff stage in two attempts, Chiangrai United finally made their group stage debut last year. The campaign ended in heartbreak as they finished bottom of the group, but there were plenty of positives for the Thai side including a maiden win against Korea Republic’s FC Seoul.

The 28 teams were drawn into four groups of four and four groups of three, with the winners of each group clinching their place in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022, scheduled to take place from January 20 to February 6.

Defending champions Japan, 2018 runners-up Australia and third-placed China PR as well as hosts India have already qualified for the Finals, which will see an expanded 12 teams competing for the continent's premier women's national team title.