On paper, it should have been a walk in the park for the Japanese who headed into the match on the back of a comprehensive 3-1 away win over Indonesia's Arema Malang. And also considering the fact that the Students mostly consist of young players and this is their first campaign in Asia's elite club competition.

Just as South Korea's Chunnam Dragons discovered in a stalemate opener a fortnight ago, the Students provided further evidence they are not a side that would concede easy points by producing another battling performance, which made life difficult for the hosts throughout the game.

Although the draw seemed to be a result the Students could have been satisfied with, Somchai Sabperm's side must have felt disappointed not to come away with maximum points as they kept the hosts at bay for a large spell but the 58th-minute expulsion of Ramthep Chaipan changed the course of the game.

Suriya Domthaisong helped the Students off to a flying start when he picked up Tanapat Na Tharue's pass before advancing into the area and dispatched an unstoppable shot past helpless goalie Eiji Kawashima in the seventh minute. Stung by the goal, Frontale tried to battle back but an inability to hold onto the possession hampered their effort to find their way back into the game.

The Students' hopes of an unlikely victory was dealt a huge blow when the referee dismissed Ramthep just before the hour mark after the midfielder stamped on Frontale's Brazilian forward Juninho. With their numerical advantage, the hosts predictably stormed forward in search of an equaliser and the pressure tactics paid off in the 78th minute when Patipan Phetphun diverted a Masaru Kurotsu cross into his own goal, which denied the Students a memorable victory.