SIPG sees off Urawa to top group
Print Edition
SHANGHAI SIPG went top of Group F in the AFC Champions League after edging Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds 3-2 at Shanghai Stadium last night.
It was the first time the two teams met in the Asian league. Both had six points from their previous two rounds of matches, with Urawa sitting atop the group on goal difference.
SIPG had a dream start scoring just eight minutes after kickoff. Hulk’s freekick towards goal was cleared by Urawa captain Abe Yuki. However, the ball fell right in front of SIPG defender Shi Ke, who headed in the hosts’ opener.
Much encouraged by the early goal, SIPG had a chance to enlarge the advantage two minutes later when Wu Lei’s powerful shot on goal was blocked by an in-position Urawa goalie Nishikawa Shusaku.
The visitors played Barcelona-like small passes and regularly threatened for the rest of the first half. But Shusaku made a mistake in the last minute before the break when he left Urawa’s goal for a clearance. The ball fell to Elkeson, the Brazilian firing a 30-yard shot past the stranded Shusaku into the net.
Hulk padded the lead six minutes into the second half, dribbling past five Urawa defenders before beating the goalie. SIPG could have added more soon after but failed to grab the opportunities.
The Japanese side pulled one back in the 71st when Rafael Da Silva was fouled in the box. The Brazilian walked up to the penalty spot himself for the goal.
SIPG goalie Yan Junling was responsible for Urawa’s second goal. He went for a clearance but failed to collect the ball, allowing Urawa defender Endo Wataru to score in a goal-mouth melee.
The home team managed to hold on until the end before Urawa’s Kashiwagi Yosuke was shown a red card for fouling Fu Huan in the 90th.
“We were not used to SIPG’s aggressive start in the first half, and didn’t perform well, which led to the early goals,” Urawa head coach Mihailo Petrovic said at the post-match press conference.
“We made adjustments in the second half. SIPG had the chance to make it 4-0, but missed it. We managed to control the rest of the match better and fought back. If we had more time, it could have been a draw,” the Austrian added.
Citing SIPG’s Brazilian trio, including Oscar, Petrovic tipped SIPG as one of the favorites for the continental title.
SIPG head coach Andre Villas-Boas described the clash as an interesting and emotional game.
“The players worked hard. The result should have ended at 3-0. They pulled two back, but I don’t think there was any relaxation from the team (after the 3-0 lead). We had chances before the penalty. They are not an easy team to defend against. They were amazing tactically.”
Villas-Boas said SIPG’s match at Urawa on April 11 would be more difficult.
In the other Group F match, Western Sydney Wanderers beat FC Seoul 3-2 to go third in the group with three points.
Earlier in a Group H match, Jiangsu Suning relied on its own Brazilian star to beat Gamba Osaka 1-0 to collect the full nine points from three matches and lead the group by five points.
Former Chelsea midfielder Ramires scored the only goal in the 39th.
Adelaide United, meanwhile, got its first point of the campaign after coming from behind twice in a pulsating 3-3 draw at home to South Korea’s Jeju United in the other Group H match.
- 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.
