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October 23, 2020

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Guoan sets up Evergrande clash

Zhang Yuning scored twice as Beijing Guoan came from behind to defeat Shandong Luneng 2-1 last night and advance to the Chinese Super League playoff semifinals while Rafael Benitez鈥檚 Dalian Pro secured its top flight status for next season.

Zhang鈥檚 brace earned Beijing a 4-3 aggregate win over Shandong in Dalian, northeastern Liaoning Province, following a 2-2 draw in the first leg at the weekend and Bruno Genesio鈥檚 side will now take on champion Guangzhou Evergrande in the next round.

Brazilian striker Moises had given Shandong the lead in the 15th minute only for Zhang to equalize four minutes later when he swept home Cedric Bakambu鈥檚 low cross from inside the 6-yard box.

Zhang then earned Beijing the win 15 minutes from time when he slotted home on the turn after Renato Augusto was gifted possession deep inside the Shandong half before feeding the former West Bromwich Albion forward.

Beijing will take on Guangzhou over two legs, with the first to be played on October 28 before the return four days later.

Earlier, Benitez鈥檚 Dalian Pro guaranteed its place in next year鈥檚 CSL as goals from Lin Liangming and Wang Yaopeng earned the Spaniard鈥檚 team a 2-1 aggregate win over Shijiazhuang Ever Bright.

Dalian had trailed 0-1 from last week鈥檚 first leg, but Lin leveled the aggregate score when he headed home Sam Larsson鈥檚 21st-minute corner and Wang claimed the decisive second just before halftime with a looping header.

The win means Dalian cannot finish any lower than 12th in the 16-team division while Shijiazhuang remains in relegation trouble, with the bottom two finishers dropping into China League One next season.

Benitez breathed a sigh of relief.

鈥淚n this difficult situation, in this difficult year, we achieved something that was important for the young players and for the Wanda (Dalian owners) project, to stay in the Chinese Super League,鈥 said the 60-year-old Spaniard.

Benitez, who took Liverpool to UEFA Champions League glory in 2005, has often said that he has the youngest team in the CSL. He was also missing former Napoli star Marek Hamsik for the must-win match, but did have former Newcastle striker Salomon Rondon.

鈥淭his competition was very difficult because a knockout competition is very difficult for young players,鈥 he said. 鈥淪o to achieve what we have achieved is great news for them for the future because they will have more experience now.鈥

Elsewhere, Shanghai SIPG may lose goalkeeper Yan Junling for the rest of the CSL season after the club said the China international needs eye surgery.

Yan was injured in the first half of his team鈥檚 0-0 draw with cross-city rival Shanghai Greenland Shenhua at the weekend and the 29-year-old was examined by eye experts on Tuesday.

Yan, who was replaced by Chen Wei on Sunday, will definitely miss the second leg of SIPG鈥檚 CSL playoff quarterfinal on Friday and will also be a doubt for the AFC Champions League when it resumes in Doha, Qatar, on November 18.

SIPG is slated to face Yokohama F Marinos, Jeonbuk Motors and Sydney FC in the group phase.


 

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