Defending AFC Cup champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) conceded an injury-time equaliser against South China, but still hold the upper hand in the AFC Cup quarterfinals, thanks to Jorge Pereyra Diaz's first-half goal.
The two sides played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in the first leg in Hong Kong on Tuesday night, ahead of the return leg in Johor on Sept. 20.
Diaz had given the tournament's top scorers the lead through a sumptuous 22nd minute strike, but Serbian striker Nikola Komazec stunned the champions in the 94th minute to secure a deserved result.
JDT, crowned Malaysia Super League champions last Friday for the third consecutive time, were back to full strength, with Singapore's Hariss Harun and Azniee Taib returning to the starting lineup.
AFC CUP 2016 Semasa 20' South China 0-0- JDT #officialJDT #JDT #HarimauSelatan #SouthernTigers
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History also favoured the Southern Tigers, who were 4-2 aggregate winners in the quarterfinals last season against coach Mario Gomez's old team.
Banking on unbridled confidence, the visitors camped in numbers in the opposite half, and Juan Martin Lucero's grounder in the sixth minute was not far from Leung Hing Kit's goal.
Leung was called into action again shortly after, as he parried Safiq Rahim's free kick that looked on its way out.
And it was a Safiq set piece that led to JDT's opener in the 21st minute.
The skipper's floated cross from the right was half cleared out before Azamuddin Akil sent the ball back into the danger zone.
This time it fell to Diaz, who made room from the tightest of angles to bury into the far corner.
South China, backed by a decent support at the Hong Kong Stadium, were struggling to make inroads into the JDT defence which has conceded only five times in the tournament.
The hosts did have a genuine chance in the 36th minute, but Ghanaian-born Agbo Wisdom shot disappointingly wide from a promising position.
Diaz almost made him pay five minutes later, but the Argentine's low rasping drew a strong one handed save from Leung.
The defending champions looked content to play on the counter attack as South China upped the tempo after the break. Mahama Awal came close for South China with a fierce drive which Izham Tarmizi palmed away before Bojan Malisic stole in the near post only to see his effort smack against the outside of the post.
Chaos then ensued in the 80th minute, with both sets of players were involved a scuffle. Diaz and Leung Kwun Chung received cautions.
More action transpired in JDT's penalty box as Komazec could only direct his header across goal, with the visitors desperately defending.
But the Serbian finally toppled the JDT wall deep into injury time. He swiveled. and fired into the top corner, to give South China hope ahead of next week's trip to Malaysia.
South China: Leung Hing Kit (GK), Mahama Awal, Nikola Komazec, Chan Wai Ho, Chan Siu Kwan, Bojan Malisic, Lo Kong Wai, Leung Kwun Chung, Leung Nok Hang, Wisdom Agbo, Ryan Griffiths
JDT: Izham Tarmizi (GK), Marcos Antonio, Aidil Zafuan, Safiq Rahim (C), Jorge Pereyra Diaz, S. Kunanlan, Hariss Harun, Fazly Mazlan (Azrif Nasrulhaq 77'), Juan Martin Lucero, Azniee Taib (Amri Yahyah 65'), Azamuddin Akil (Amirulhadi Zainal 83')