Jiangsu Suning winger Alex Teixeira (L) scores his team's first goal against Jeonbuk Hyundai. (Photo : Getty Images)
Jiangsu Suning FC's record signing winger Alex Teixeira led his new team to a high-scoring 3-2 victory over reigning K League Classic champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC in a 2016 AFC Champions League group stage match held at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre in Nanjing, China on Tuesday.
Head coach Dan Petrescu featured all of his team's high-profile winter signings, namely Teixeira, Ramires, Jô, and Trent Sainsbury and all of them did not disappoint, except perhaps for the Australian who netted an own goal four minutes before full time to give the visitors their second goal of the match.
Jiangsu started strong as Teixeira scored a goal at the 16th minute to give the hosts the early lead, 1-0. The advantage lasted until the second half when Jeonbuk striker Lee Dong-gook managed to tie the count two minutes after the hour mark.
The Nanjing residents immediately responded with a flurry, though, courtesy of a goal each from another foreign player, striker Jô, and midfielder Wu Xi at the 65th and 69th minutes to build a 3-1 lead with 21 minutes left in the contest, via the Hong Kong Standard.
Sainsbury's own goal at the 86th proved to be a consolation one for Jeonbuk, which was the result of a header from Dak Gong forward Kim Shin-wook that hit his defender.
However, the win came with a cost as Ramires was booked with a red and sent off during injury time "after a shoving match", as per the Washington Times. With that, the Brazilian will not appear in their next group stage match against FC Tokyo on March 15th.
The win was Jiangsu's first in the group stage of the said tournament as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Vietnam club Becamex Bình Dương FC in their opener on Feb. 23rd.
The team is now on top of the Group E competitions with four points, followed by Jeonbuk with three as they won their opener against FC Tokyo, 2-1, also on Feb. 23rd.
Teixeira, 26, was signed by Jiangsu earlier this month for a transfer record-breaking fee of €50 million from Ukrainian club FC Shakhtar Donetsk. Ramires is also an expensive signing, worth €33 million from English Premier League side Chelsea FC.
