Guangzhou, Al Hilal reach semis
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| AFP |
Former champions Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Guangzhou Evergrande eased into the AFC Champions League semi-finals despite tough draws.
While Luiz Felipe Scolari's Guangzhou Evergrande advanced with a 4-2 aggregate after a 1-1 draw against Japan's Kashiwa Reysol, Al Hilal made the last four with a 6-3 total after they were held 2-2 by Qatari champions Lekhwiya in Doha. Lekhwiya faced an uphill battle after their 4-1 away thrashing in the first leg and although they managed to hold their own on Tuesday against the 1991 and 2000 champions, the goal difference just proved too much for them to overcome.
Carlos Eduardo put Al Hilal ahead in the 25th minute off an assist by Saleem al-Dawsari but despite a goal each from Lekhwiya's Ismaeel Mohamed and Chico Flores, an 87th minute strike from Digao ensured a draw for the Saudi side. With several hundred Al Hilal fans driving across the border to watch the match passions were high and they spilled on to the ground with tough tackles being the norm. Three players from Lekhwiya and two from Al Hilal saw yellow cards
Earlier, Huang Bowen's sumptuous first-half equaliser provided a rare moment of quality at Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou with the second period more notable for robust challenges and yellow cards. Chelsea-linked defender Zhang Linpeng was perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch after he went in two-footed on Ryosuke Yamanaka, and Feng Xiaoting and Kim Young-Gwon also saw yellow.
The Japanese side walked out at Guangzhou's Tianhe Stadium with much ground to make up, but they got a lifeline on 12 minutes when Cristiano nodded them in front. The Brazilian forward climbed in the penalty box to meet a free-kick from close to the right touchline, and planted an unstoppable header into the far corner.
With the aggregate score at 3-2, the early goal stung the Chinese league-leaders but Huang restored their cushion with a beautiful half-volley on the half-hour. Receiving the ball on the edge of the box, the Chinese international swept it home left-footed with a shot which rocketed straight into the top corner.
But despite a team peppered with Brazilian talent, that was to be the only score for Guangzhou, who now play either Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors or Gamba Osaka in the two-legged semi-finals.