Shandong Taishan gave themselves a real chance of reaching the round of 16 in the AFC Champions League Elite with a thrilling 3-1 victory over South Korean side Gwangju on Tuesday at home. All the goals came in the first half, setting the stage for an intense finish.
The match saw Shandong take the lead in the 16th minute when Valeri Qazaishvilli found the back of the net with a confident finish. The lead doubled in the 33rd minute as Brazil's Zeca, marking his first goal for the team, sent the fans into a frenzy.
Gwangju tried to fight back with Lee Min-ki scoring in the 35th minute, but Shandong restored their two-goal advantage just before halftime as Cryzan, another Brazilian star, scored in stoppage time to seal the deal at 3-1.
While Gwangju has already secured their spot in the knockout phase, Shandong, currently in sixth place, needs to win their upcoming match next week to guarantee a spot in the last 16.
In other news, Shanghai Port suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Vissel Kobe. Despite a penalty save from goalkeeper Yan Junling, the Japanese hosts, with goals from Yuya Osako, Koya Yuruki, Yuya Kuwasak, and Yoshinori Muto, dominated the game and advanced to the knockout phase.
Reference(s):
Shandong Taishan defeat Gwangju, Shanghai Port lose to Vissel Kobe
cgtn.com
