11 Mar 2009

International Wire Story

11:59 am on 11 March 2009

The Newcastle Jets has lost its first ever Asian Champions League football match, going down 2-0 away to Chinese club Beijing Guoan.

Much of the pre-match focus centred on striker Joel Griffiths, who was on loan to Beijing from the Jets, but it was his younger sibling Ryan who inflicted the early blow.

The Socceroos international slid the ball home from six metres in the seventh minute of the game at Beijing Workers Stadium, while brother Joel set up an unmarked Du Wenhui for the second at the death.

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

Newcastle qualified for the champions league after winning the 2008 A-League title, but it finished 8th and last in 2009.