GOSFORD, Australia: China’s Guangzhou Evergrande took a firm grip on their AFC Champions League last 16 tie with Central Coast Mariners yesterday, as Kashiwa Reysol stunned former winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
Mega-rich Guangzhou, helmed by World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi and inspired by their South American stars, fought back from a goal down to win 2-1 in Gosford, gaining the upper hand ahead of next week’s second leg.
Meanwhile Jeonbuk, the tournament’s 2006 winners from South Korea, left themselves with a mountain to climb after Japan’s Kashiwa scored one goal early and one late for a convincing 2-0 win.
In Gosford, with busloads of Chinese expats arriving for the game, young striker Mitchell Duke gave the Mariners a seventh-minute lead after latching on to a pass from Bernie Ibini.
But the Chinese double-winners grabbed control with Argentinian Dario Conca calling the shots with his defense-splitting passes, and right-back Zhang Linpeng keeping Mariners danger man Michael McGlinchey firmly in check.
Guangzhou levelled on 28 minutes through Paraguayan ex-Borussia Dortmund striker Lucas Barrios, who blasted home past goalkeeper Mat Ryan following a lightning counter-attack.
The Chinese side strengthened their hold on the match in the second half with Conca pulling the strings, and it was no surprise when Brazilian Muriqui scored the winner with 14 minutes left.
A flick-on from Gao Lin put the club’s all-time leading goalscorer into space to score for the sixth time in seven ACL games this season.
Muriqui had a chance to make it three in the 81st minute when a Conca pass presented him with a clear-cut shooting opportunity, but ‘keeper Ryan saved at point-blank range — a stop which could prove important come next week.
“You could see that they have quality on the ball and a lot of international players, so a lot of experience,” the Mariners’ soon-to-retire Dutch defender Patrick Zwaanswijk said.
Shabab rallies, Ahli held
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Shabab came from behind to defeat Qatari-based Al Gharafa 2-1, and El Jaish of Qatar drew 1-1 with Saudi giant Al-Ahli in the first legs of the last 16 on Tuesday.
Saudia Arabia forward Nasser Al Shamrani finished confidently in the 83rd minute to give Al Shabab the away win at Al-Gharafa Stadium in Doha. The substitute raced onto a through ball that caught the home side’s defense napping and his right-foot strike was too good for goalkeeper Qasem Burhan.
“We got a positive result because we went into the match with a clear strategy, which was to get a positive result before the second leg in Riyadh,” Al-Shabab coach Michel Preud’homme said. “The players put on a good performance tonight and managed to get an important win. We conceded a goal in the first half, which came due to confusion in defense and lack of good coverage.
“The result should not fool us because there is still another match and we haven’t qualified yet.” Veteran Australia midfielder Mark Bresciano broke the deadlock in the 42nd for Al Gharafa after being picked out by French striker Djibril Cisse, who is on loan from Queens Park Rangers.
Eleven minutes after the restart, however, Al-Shabab leveled when Sebastian Tagliabue curled the ball beyond a diving Burhan. Tagliabue was signed at the end of last season from Al Ettifaq after impressing in the AFC Cup.
“We made several mistakes in the second half which cost us a defeat tonight,” said Al Gharafa Habib coach Tounsi, whose team topped Group A with four wins. “The result of the match will make things difficult for us in the second leg, especially because we will be playing away.
“We concentrated well at the start of the match and we put them under a lot of pressure and took the lead, while lack of concentration in the second half cost us two goals.
There is still another match to play and we must fight back.” The return leg is Tuesday at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.
