SYDNEY, Nov 5, 2024 (AFP) - Central Coast Mariners scored deep in injury time as they roared back to grab a 2-2 home draw with Shanghai Shenhua in the Asian Champions League on Tuesday.

The Australian champions finally got a point on the board in the group stage after four matches.

They did it in the most dramatic fashion, with Bailey Brandtman poking home in the 95th minute, the hosts having been 2-0 down.
Shenhua, who were edged out by one point by rivals Shanghai Port for the Chinese Super League title on Saturday, were well supported by nearly 1,000 fans in Gosford.

The visitors were forced into a change on five minutes when Xie Pengfei was taken off on a stretcher after a collision with Brian Kaltak, who was booked.

Defender Kaltak had the best chance of the first half, rattling the Shenhua bar with a header.

But Leonid Slutsky's away side started the second period with intent and Andre Luis struck five minutes after the break.

The Brazilian attacker picked up the ball on the edge of the Mariners box, turned and then bent the ball expertly into the bottom corner.
Fourteen minutes later it was 2-0 as Yu Hanchao -- who had replaced the stricken Xie -- stroked the ball into the same corner. 

With 15 minutes left, Sabit Ngor rounded the Shenhua goalkeeper for 2-1, before Brandtman popped up in the final minute to earn the Australians a point.

Later Tuesday, Shenhua's city rivals Port face Kawasaki Frontale in Japan.

J. League champions Vissel Kobe host South Korea's Gwangju FC while Johor Darul Ta'zim face another Korean side in Ulsan at home in Malaysia.
In the West zone, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr host defending champions Al Ain of the UAE in Riyadh.