The Central Coast Mariners have been beaten in the opening game of their Asian Champions League Elite (ACLE) campaign, downed 3-1 by Chinese side Shandong Taishan in Jinan.
Making their first appearance on Asia's biggest stage since 2015, Mikel Doka cancelled out Bi Jinhao's opener just before halftime on Tuesday night, only for Georgian international Valeri Qazaishvili to win the clash with a second-half brace.
Under the rebranded ACLE's new format, Mark Jackson's side will next host Thai side Buriram United on October 1, before travelling to face Kevin Muscat's Shanghai Port later that month.
With what was their first meaningful foray forward, Shandong took the lead eight minutes in when Li Yuanyi sent in a cross that Bi redirected turned goalwards with a glancing header.
The better side in the opening half, the Mariners levelled with their last kick when a VAR check after the halftime whistle awarded a penalty for a foul on Brad Tapp.
Despite vociferous and delaying protests from Shandong, Doka buried the spot kick, with his fingers in ears celebration resulting in more arguments and bottles thrown from the stands.
Amid a much improved second half, Shandong introduced attacker Cryzan on the hour mark and the Brazilian almost restored their lead soon after with an audacious attempt which hit the post.
They then regained the lead in the 74th minute when a turnover from Brian Kaltack saw Liao Lisheng set up Qazaishvili to blast home.
Multiple set-piece headers gave the Mariners their best chances at another equaliser, with former Socceroos stalwart Trent Sainsbury, playing in his first competitive fixture for the club in over a decade, heading off the post.
But Qazaishvili removed all doubt when he burst through the visitor's defence and chipped Adam Pavlesic to make it 3-1 in the 88th minute.
