Marcello Lippi's Guangzhou Evergrande broke China's 23-year Asian title drought Saturday when they clinched the AFC Champions League on away goals with a 1-1 draw against FC Seoul.

Elkeson's brilliant opener on 58 minutes was quickly cancelled out by FC Seoul's Dejan Damjanovic, but a draw was enough for Lippi's team after their 2-2 result two weeks ago in Seoul.

The World Cup-winning coach celebrated wildly with his players as the tournament's form side were crowned worthy winners in front of a jubilant crowd of 42,000 in Guangzhou.

No Chinese team has become kings of Asia since Liaoning in 1990, and for Evergrande, the feat comes just three years after they were relegated as punishment for a match-fixing scandal.

It is also a huge achievement for Lippi, who along with the 2006 World Cup has now clinched both the Asian and European club titles after winning the 1996 UEFA Champions League with Juventus.

The Italian admitted some anxious moments after FC Seoul's equaliser, but the seasoned campaigner said the game ultimately went according to plan.

"When they did score their goal to make it a 1-1 draw it was a pretty dangerous situation for us because it could be a 50-50 game for both of us," he said.

"But in the end we won the game and we got this cup and we deserved it."

Evergrande's Argentine wizard Dario Conca twice grazed the post in a mixed first half but the game came alive when Brazilian striker Elkeson showed superb touch to open the scoring.

The powerful forward stretched out his left leg to deftly flick on Muriqui's ball from the centre circle, giving himself space to coolly drive the ball low into the FC Seoul goal.

Damjanovic gave the visitors, who needed a win or a high-scoring draw, hope just four minutes later when he capitalised on lacklustre defending with a shot on the turn to make it 1-1.

However, FC Seoul were unable to get the necessary second goal and after a tense finish the red-clad crowd erupted at the final whistle.

The game had got off to a fluid start with both sides creating openings, before Evergrande began to take control.

The hosts almost went ahead after clever interplay between Elkeson and Zhang Linpeng created space for Dario Conca, whose shot came off the outside of the near post.

Five minutes later, the impressive Conca hit the same post from distance, while Elkeson also tested goalkeeper Kim Yong-Dae from long range and put an ambitious bicycle kick wide.

With FC Seoul content to sit back, the first half ended tepidly but it was a different story after the break with Muriqui going close after a one-two, before Elkeson's goal.

Evergrande had reached the final in stunning form, scoring eight goals against their semi-final opponents, Japan's Kashiwa Reysol.

With the win, Evergrande, who have also won their third straight Chinese Super League title, gain a place in December's intercontinental Club World Cup in Morocco.

Lippi's team will also go for an unprecedented Chinese and Asian treble later this month when they face Beijing Guoan in the domestic FA Cup semi-finals.