Ahead of their maiden AFC Champions League campaign, JDT's players had spoken about the big test and challenge awaiting the team when they stepped up to the tournament's elite club level.

Now, four matches in, the side from Johor Baru can be proud of their performance so far.

While results haven't gone their way - three defeats and a draw - Malaysia's champions only lost by a single goal margin against some of Asia's more seasoned sides.

After joining the Korea Republic side in February, Englishman Mutch made his AFC Champions League debut in the reverse fixture in a game that saw Italian striker Pelle, who now has six goals to his name, net twice in a 2-2 draw.

Gyeongnam then picked up one point from their next two games, with Mutch scoring in defeat to defending champions Kashima Antlers on Matchday Three, before he set up Takahiro Kunimoto’s goal as the K League team claimed a famous 1-0 victory over the holders two weeks ago.

Graziano Pelle scored the only goal of the game as Shandong saw off Johor Darul Ta’zim to move to the top of Group E two weeks ago. With two games to play, the hosts will also progress with a 1-1 draw or if the game ends goalless.

Shandong, who welcome Dai Lin back from suspension, won their fourth match in a row in all competitions on Saturday as a 2-0 victory over Hebei CFFC moved them to fourth position in the Chinese Super League.

Malaysian champions Johor have picked up just one point from four games in their debut appearance as back-to-back defeats to Group E leaders Shandong Luneng on Matchdays Three and Four moved them closer to the exit door.

Johor, who remained top of their domestic league with a 2-0 victory over Felda United at the weekend, have run all their opponents close so far, but their task is made all the more difficult as star striker Diogo serves a one-match ban.

The eight sides in Groups G and H will take to the field on Tuesday, before the remaining eight teams in Groups E and F follow suit a day later in a week that should see a number of the knockout stage qualification berths decided.

The side from Korea Republic’s early momentum has faded following successive losses at the hands of Sanfrecce Hiroshima as they dropped to third in the table, but with only three points separating the top three sides, there remains all to play for.

A 1-0 win over Sangju Sangmu on Friday, though, made it two wins on the bounce since Daegu’s last game on the Continent as they climbed to third in the K League 1 table.

Hayato Araki’s first-half goal claimed a 1-0 win over Daegu FC two weeks ago as Sanfrecce made it three wins on the bounce to move to the top of the standings.

But they have since lost successive games in the J.League and Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Yokohama F. Marinos saw them drop to seventh in the table. Yosuke Minagawa returns from suspension but Hayao Kawabe is serving a one-match ban.