Jets undone by Beijing Guoan’s Griffiths brothers

Newcastle Jets were undone by the Australian Griffiths boys in their opening Asian Champions League football clash, as they lost 2-0 away to Chinese club Beijing Guoan.

While much of the pre-match focus centred on striker Joel, who was on loan to Beijing from the Jets, it was his younger sibling Ryan who inflicted a grievous early blow.

Fellow Socceroo Ryan slid the ball home from six metres in the seventh minute of the game at Beijing Workers Stadium.

Joel had a relatively quiet game but exploded into life in the final quarter.

He was sent clear in the 71st minute but blazed his shot over the bar and five minutes later nodded a corner just wide of the target.

Joel then set up Du Wenhui for their second goal in second half stoppage time.

The result gave Joel and Ryan bragging rights over their sibling Adam, who was playing for Newcastle.

Dominated early, Newcastle came into the game more in the latter stages of the first half and created some good opportunities in the second.

In the 69th minute two of their five debutants were foiled by the Beijing goalkeeper.

He pushed away a header from Sasho Petrovski and from the ensuing corner denied Dutchman Donny De from close range with his feet.

The two newcomers also unlocked the Beijing defence in the 86th minute when Petrovski couldn’t get a shot on target from close range following a De Groot right wing cross.

Newcastle’s new look team looked shaky in defence early on.

The first goal came after one of the debutants, Socceroo defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley, lost possession.

Beijing broke down the right through dangerous winger Wang Changqing, who surged past the hapless Topor-Stanly and sent in a cross which was expertly converted by Ryan Griffiths.

Beijing’s speedy passing and movement caused Newcastle plenty of problems and they dominated most of the first half.

Goalkeeper Ante Covic pulled off a fine fingertip save to deny Beijing a second goal in the 28th minute.

Newcastle had a couple of first half chances but their best opportunities came after the break.

The referee handed out seven yellow cards, four of them to Newcastle players.