Guangzhou to take on Mariners in ACL
Source: AFP |
May 3, 2013, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
BIG-SPENDING Guangzhou Evergrande will face Australia's Central Coast Mariners in the AFC Champions League knockout round while former winner Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors take on Japan's Kashiwa Reysol.
A point at home against Jeonbuk on Wednesday assured the Chinese Super League champion of top spot in Group F while the nervy 0-0 draw was enough for the South Koreans to edge out fellow former champion Urawa Reds of Japan on head-to-head records.
Also in the final round of group matches this week, last year's losing finalist Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia progressed as the winner of Group C and will play tournament debutant El Jaish of Qatar in the last 16.
Buriram United, the first Thai team in a decade to reach the knockout round, will face Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan after finishing as runner-up in Group E behind FC Seoul.
Marcello Lippi's Guangzhou, seeking to become China's first Asian champions since Liaoning in 1990, is attempting to better last year's showing in the Asian club contest, when a late goal saw it bow out in the quarterfinals.
Mariners coach Graham Arnold said he cannot wait to pit his wits against Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning coach Lippi after his side reached the knockout phase for the first time in the club's history.
"Marcello Lippi is one of the world's truly great football figures and it's unquestionable he will be the most famous person ever to coach a team on the Central Coast," Arnold said. "But while we will show Marcello and Guangzhou all the respect they deserve, we will not fear them. We have a two-week preparation heading into the game and our full focus will be on achieving a positive first-leg result to take to China."
Al Ahli, looking to go one better after the bitter disappointment of losing to South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai in last year's final, topped Group C after a 2-2 draw with Al Nasr of the UAE on Tuesday.
FC Seoul will take on Beijing Guo'an in the round of 16.
A point at home against Jeonbuk on Wednesday assured the Chinese Super League champion of top spot in Group F while the nervy 0-0 draw was enough for the South Koreans to edge out fellow former champion Urawa Reds of Japan on head-to-head records.
Also in the final round of group matches this week, last year's losing finalist Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia progressed as the winner of Group C and will play tournament debutant El Jaish of Qatar in the last 16.
Buriram United, the first Thai team in a decade to reach the knockout round, will face Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan after finishing as runner-up in Group E behind FC Seoul.
Marcello Lippi's Guangzhou, seeking to become China's first Asian champions since Liaoning in 1990, is attempting to better last year's showing in the Asian club contest, when a late goal saw it bow out in the quarterfinals.
Mariners coach Graham Arnold said he cannot wait to pit his wits against Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning coach Lippi after his side reached the knockout phase for the first time in the club's history.
"Marcello Lippi is one of the world's truly great football figures and it's unquestionable he will be the most famous person ever to coach a team on the Central Coast," Arnold said. "But while we will show Marcello and Guangzhou all the respect they deserve, we will not fear them. We have a two-week preparation heading into the game and our full focus will be on achieving a positive first-leg result to take to China."
Al Ahli, looking to go one better after the bitter disappointment of losing to South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai in last year's final, topped Group C after a 2-2 draw with Al Nasr of the UAE on Tuesday.
FC Seoul will take on Beijing Guo'an in the round of 16.
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