Teixeira leads Suning into last 16
Oscar misses two penalties in SIPG’s 1- 0 loss to Urawa
Big- money midfielder Oscar missed two second- half penalties as Andre Villas- Boas’ Shanghai SIPG lost 1- 0 to Urawa Red Diamonds in their first defeat of this year’s Asian Champions League on Tuesday.
After SIPG went behind to Rafael Silva’s 44th- minute strike, 60 million euro ($ 63 million) signing Oscar looked set to maintain SIPG’s unbeaten record in Group F when he won a penalty in the 64th minute.
But the Brazil international, after a stutter run- up, saw his spot kick palmed onto the bar by Urawa goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa, prompting loud cel- ebrations by the home fans.
Ten minutes later, SIPG were awarded another penalty after Urawa defender Tomoaki Makino handed the ball in the box. But Oscar sent the ball high above the bar this time.
The result means the Japanese side replace SIPG at the top of Group F on away goals scored in fixtures between the two sides, after SIPG’s 3- 2 win in Shanghai last month.
Alex Teixeira, another expensive Brazilian import to China, fared much better as he scored one and set up two more in Jiangsu Suning’s 3- 0 victory over Japan’s Gamba Osaka.
Teixeira slammed a sumptu- ous opener after just three minutes when he robbed veteran Japan international Yasuhito Endo and surged forward before hitting a powerful finish past Masaaki Higashiguchi. He teed up his Brazilian compatriot Ramires four minutes later with a dangerous ball into the box which the ex- Chelsea man steered past Higashiguchi.
And Teixeira completed the master class just before halftime with a pinpoint free kick onto the head of defender Hong Jeong- ho, who made it 3- 0 as Jiangsu stayed top of Group H with a maximum 12 points from four games and sealed a spot in the knockout stage with two group games remaining.
Below them in the same group, Adelaide United resurrected their hopes of reaching the last 16 with a 3- 1 away win over Jeju United to climb off the bottom of the standings.
And in Group F, FC Seoul kept their campaign just alive with a 3- 2 victory over 2014 champions Western Sydney Wanderers.
Seoul’s first points in Group F give them an outside chance of making the knockout rounds as they are tied on three points with Western Sydney, six behind Urawa and SIPG.