Guangzhou targets Bayern in Morocco
Print Edition
China’s Guangzhou Evergrande is out to beat African champion al-Ahly in today’s quarterfinals of the Club World Cup to set up a last-four clash with European titan Bayern Munich.
The regional champions from each of the FIFA regions are gathering in Morocco, north Africa, to decide which is the best domestic team in the world.
Oceania’s Auckland City FC lost Wednesday’s opening playoff match 1-2 to host club Raja Casablanca, which now meets Mexico’s CF Monterrey today.
Guangzhou was crowned Asian champion by beating South Korea’s FC Seoul last month and is eager to down al-Ahly to set up a clash with German giant Bayern in next Tuesday’s first semifinal.
Both Bayern and Copa Libertadores winner Atletico Mineiro of Brazil, representing South America, have been given byes through to the semifinals.
This is Guangzhou’s first appearance at a Club World Cup, but it has a talented squad, including both Asia’s Player of the Year Zheng Zhi and foreign player of the Year in Brazil’s Muriqui with World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi at the helm.
Muriqui has set his sights on making an impact in Morocco, but insists Guangzhou must focus on the African champion before thinking of Bayern.
“These are world-class teams, but we will take our game to them,” Muriqui told fifa.com with Bayern set to jet to Morocco after today’s Bundesliga clash at home to Hamburg.
“The first game will be a hard test and we should strive to win. We represent China and Asia, so we will spare nothing to get a good result.”
Hailed as one of the most promising stars in Brazilian league, Muriqui made an immediate impact on his arrival in 2010, racking up 13 goals in 14 appearances in his debut season as Guangzhou earned promotion to the top flight.
The next season saw him prove equally unstoppable, notching up another 16 goals and collecting the top scorer and player of the year awards as his side won the league title.
Bayern is favorite to lift the Club World Cup trophy in Marrakech on December 21 with the Bavarians aiming to win their second piece of silverware under Pep Guardiola after winning the UEFA Super Cup by beating Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out in Prague last August.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
