Shanghai Daily

Guangzhou ends Kashima reign

- SOCCER

WORLD Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro moved a step closer to AFC Champions League glory as his Guangzhou Evergrande side stunned Asian champions Kashima Antlers yesterday on away goals to reach the semifinals.

The Chinese giants, who won the competitio­n in 2013 and 2015, go through after drawing 1-1 in Japan following a goalless stalemate in Guangzhou three weeks ago.

Cannavaro, who lifted the 2006 World Cup as Italy’s captain, will be thanking his goalkeeper Zeng Cheng, who pulled off a string of world-class saves to keep his side in the match after the visitors grabbed the crucial away goal before half-time.

A cagey start and mostly tepid first half from the two renowned attacking sides sparked into life when Talisca put Guangzhou ahead in the 40th minute.

The bleach-blond Brazilian midfielder rose highest to meet Huang Bowen’s corner on the right and head home unstoppabl­y from close range.

Lackluster Kashima had won its last six home games in the knockout stages of the ACL, keeping three clean sheets, and the goal served to wake the Japanese giants.

They laid siege to the Guangzhou goal after half-time and it took just six minutes of the second period to equalize.

Leo Silva’s speculativ­e shot was deflected past the unlucky Zeng off another Brazilian, Serginho, who was credited with the goal.

Kashima needed to score again to keep its title defense alive and coach Go Oiwa threw on his dual attacking threat of Yuki Soma and Ayase Ueda with 20 minutes to go as he went all out in search of the winner at Kashima Stadium.

It almost paid off immediatel­y as Oeda started a smooth passing move that culminated in Serginho rattling the crossbar with a superb 20-yard left-foot curler that had Zeng for once stranded.

Kashima kept pressing and Guangzhou and Zeng desperatel­y kept the hosts at bay until a dramatic fourth and final minute of added time.

With just 10 seconds of time remaining Silva danced into the box on the left flank, cut back towards the penalty spot and beat Zeng with a right-foot shot only to see it blocked on the line by a sprawling defender.

It was hacked clear as the referee blew for full-time and the Guangzhou players to a man collapsed to the turf in relief and a large contingent of travelling fans from the southern Chinese city danced in the stands.

Guangzhou goes through to a semifinal against fellow two-time champions Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan next month, with the winner meeting either al-Sadd from Qatar or Saudi Arabia’s alHilal in November’s two-legged final.

(AFP)

 ??  ?? Guangzhou Evergrande midfielder Anderson Talisca (right) heads to score in front of Kashima Antlers goalkeeper Kwon Sun-tae during their AFC Champions League quarterfin­al, second-leg match in Kashima, Japan, yesterday. — AFP
Guangzhou Evergrande midfielder Anderson Talisca (right) heads to score in front of Kashima Antlers goalkeeper Kwon Sun-tae during their AFC Champions League quarterfin­al, second-leg match in Kashima, Japan, yesterday. — AFP

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