Jiangsu 1st into ACL knockout stage
Print Edition
CHINESE Super League side Jiangsu Suning became the first team to reach the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League by beating 2008 champion Gamba Osaka 3-0 last night.
Alex Teixeira opened the scoring after three minutes, and four minutes later, fellow Brazilian and midfielder Ramires doubled the lead. Hong Jeong-ho headed home a third just before the break in Nanjing.
Teixeira slammed the sumptuous opener when he robbed veteran Japan international Yasuhito Endo and surged forward before hitting a powerful finish past Masaaki Higashiguchi.
The race for second behind Jiangsu — on 12 points from 4 games — in Group H was tight. Adelaide United moved above Jeju United on goal difference with a 3-1 win at the home of the South Korean side. Both have four points, one above Gamba.
Elsewhere, Oscar missed two second-half penalties as Shanghai SIPG lost at Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan 0-1.
Shanghai’s first loss in Group F dropped it below new leader Urawa on goal difference.
Rafael Silva scored for Urawa at Saitama Stadium just before halftime, but the hosts were on the back foot after the break.
Urawa goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa, however, was superb.
Midway through the second half, Oscar was fouled in the area. The former Chelsea star’s penalty attempt was saved one-handed by Nishikawa.
Ten minutes later, the Brazilian had another penalty chance thanks to a hand-ball but skied a shot well over the crossbar. Another shot from the edge of the area was saved again.
Despite the loss, Shanghai was in a good position to finish in the top half of the four-team group with a six-point cushion on third-placed FC Seoul.
Seoul picked up its first points by beating 2014 champions Western Sydney Wanderers 3-2, courtesy of a double from Dejan Damjanovic.
“I’m really happy and finally we won,” said the Montenegrin striker, as he celebrated the first win of the campaign for last year’s semifinalist.
Of reports linking him to the Wanderers for next season, Damjanovic added: “I am 36 soon and I came to Korea to finish my football, but you never know and my contract finishes in November but my first option is Seoul.”
The Australian side scored its pair late.
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