KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- League Champions of China, Japan and Australia are set for premature showdowns in group stage of Asia's elite clubs' competition, according to the draw made here on Thursday.
Teams in the East Zone that qualify are yet to be fully decided pending the last rounds of leagues and knock-out cups, as the group stage draw of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League in 2019 was held earlier than in the previous years, but it has already prescribed some matches to be anticipated by football fans.
Shanghai SIPG, who ended the seven-year reign of Guangzhou Evergrade in Chinese Super League, will meet with Japanese league champion Kawasaki Frontale and Sydney FC, who ranked 1st in the regular season of the Australian league.
The three teams will be joined by a play-off winner, most likely from South Korea.
The league champion of South Korea and two-time AFC Champions League winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were drawn in Group G and are set to face the yet to be decided winners of Japan's Emperor's Cup and China's FA Cup, as well as Thai League champion Buriram United.
In the West Zone, Iran's Persepolis, who lost 2-0 to Japan's Kashima Antlers on aggregate in this year's final, will begin their campaign with opponents including Qatar's Al Saad SC, Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli Saudi FC.
