SEOUL, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Graziano Pelle scored twice as Shandong Luneng held South Korean side Gyeongnam FC to a 2-2 draw in Group E in their 2019 AFC Champions League opener at the Changwon Football Center on Tuesday.

The Chinese side returned to the continental competition for the first time since 2016, when they reached the quarterfinals before losing to FC Seoul.

Luneng constantly looked to attack the Koreans' goal from the very start, as Pelle's powerful shot was denied by the crossbar in the opening minute.

The Italian soon headed in the first goal of the game from a Liu Binbin pass in the 21st minute, and Belgian international Marouane Fellaini nearly doubled the deficit before the break.

The hosts began to threaten the Luneng goal as the game resumed. Woo Ju-sung scored an equaliser from a corner in the 60th minute, and the hosts were in front eight minutes later thanks to a goal from Kim Seung-jun.

In the 77th minute, Pelle scored from close range to level at 2-2, marking his Asian Champions League debut with two goals. The Italian might have had a hat-trick but his late header went wide, missing out on the chance to seal all three points.

The draw puts Luneng in second place in Group E behind defending champions Kashima Antlers, who beat Johor Darul Ta'zim 2-1.