Paulinho stunner helps Guangzhou to ACL win
TOKYO: Brazilian Paulinho struck a stunning 40 metre free-kick as Guangzhou Evergrande took a firm grip of their Asian Champions League quarter-final against Kashiwa Reysol with a 3-1 first-leg win in Japan yesterday.
The 40th minute sumptuous set-piece followed a fifth minute own goal by Daisuke Suzuki, with Chinese international Gao Lin heading a third just before the hour mark.
Masato Kudo snatched an 89th minute consolation for the hosts, turning in at the back post after a corner was flicked on, but the earlier damage should result in a straightforward return leg in Guangzhou on Sept 15 for the former winners.
It marked a winning return to the ACL for former Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who replaced Fabio Cannavaro as boss of the four-time defending Chinese champions in June, after previous experience with Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor.
The Brazilian was quick to bring in compatriot Paulinho who, along with the enterprising Ricardo Goulart and delivery of Huang Bowen, proved too much for the Japanese, who they battered 8-1 in the semi-finals two years ago en route to the title.
The night got off to the worst possible start for Kashiwa when Suzuki’s attempts to steer a whipped free-kick from midfielder Huang resulted in the ball nestling in the back of his own net.
The Chinese took charge of the contest from there, with the few Kashiwa attacks easily snuffed out by organised defending by the visitors.
Paulinho, signed from English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in June, was at the heart of the visitor’s good play and capped his display with a swerving, dipping free kick which sailed past a motionless Takanori Sugeno in the Kashiwa goal.
Chinese international Gao almost made it 3-0 at the start of the second half but Kashiwa failed to take heed of the warning, leaving the striker free to flick a header from another inviting Huang cross past the onrushing Sugeno in the 58th minute.
Gao had come into the side at the expense of new signing, Brazilian international Robinho, who could find no room in the big spending Guangzhou ACL squad with only three foreigners allowed.
The second East Asian l ast eight encounter between Kashiwa’s J-League rivals Gamba Osaka and Jeonbuk Motors kicks off today with the first leg in South Korea.