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Chinese trio suffer AFC Champions League torment

By Xiang Bin: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, May 3, 2012

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China's club sides endured a forgettable couple of days in the AFC Champions League group stages, with all three sides in action losing their respective matches.

Guangzhou Evergrande 1-3 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Lee Dong-gook scored twice in the closing stages as 10-man Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors stunned Guangzhou Evergrande with a dramatic last-gasp 3-1 comeback win at Tianhe Sports Center on Tuesday.

Evergrand players walked off the pitch dejected after the loss to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

The victory saw Jeonbuk move two points clear of Guangzhou and Japan's Kashiwa Reysol with just one game remaining in Group H with all four teams still in the hunt for the last 16.

An early penalty from Argentinean midfielder Dario Conca opened the scoring for Guangzhou only for Lee Sung-hyun to pull last year's beaten finalists Jeonbuk level just before half-time.

The home side continued to dominate at the start of the second half and were handed a major boost five minutes after the hour mark as Jeonbuk captain Cho was sent-off after picking up a second yellow card following a lunging tackle on substitute Jiang Ning on the edge of the Guangzhou penalty area.

Guangzhou continued to pour forward in the closing stages but struggled to find a way past the reorganized Jeonbuk defense as Jiang fired straight at Kim from a tight angle with five minutes remaining.

And in the last minute Guangzhou conceded possession just inside their own half allowing Seo Sang-min who raced clear, and after drawing Yang off his line, he squared the ball to Lee Dong-gook on the edge of the area and the striker rolled the ball into the empty net.

Jeonbuk sealed the win in stoppage time as second half substitute Hugo Droguett was tripped by Yang as he attempted to skip past the Guangzhou goalkeeper inside the area and Lee Dong-gook confidently converted the resulting penalty.

"All the players did their best and we lost due to some minor mistakes. I am sorry for letting down the fans and as the coach of the team I assume full responsibility for the loss," said Guangzhou's Korean coach Lee Jang-soo.

"We still have one last game and we still have the chance to control our own fate.

"If after they equalized we had scored the result would have been different. We will look at the video, but I accept full responsibility for the loss as I am not the type of person to look for excuses after a game."

Central Coast Mariners 5-1 Tainjin Teda

Daniel McBreen scored twice as Australia's Central Coast Mariners recorded their first ever win in the AFC Champions League in empathic style on Tuesday as their 5-1 win over China's Tianjin Teda kept the A-League Premiers in contention for a place in the last 16.

Fresh from signing a contract extension with the Mariners at the end of last week, 35-year-old McBreen struck twice inside the opening 20 minutes to set the Mariners on their way before Joshua Rose increased the advantage at the start of the second half.

Midfield duo Michael McGlinchey and Mustafa Amini added to the lead inside the final 20 minutes either side of a consolation for Tianjin's Liao Bochao.

A victory over Japan's Nagoya Grampus in two weeks' time will ensure Mariners' passage to last 16 for the first time after the J.League side shared a 1-1 draw with Korea Republic's Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma.

Beijing Guoan 2-3 Ulsan Hyundai

Ulsan Hyundai advanced to the last 16 of the AFC Champions League from Group F alongside FC Tokyo after the K-League side maintained their unbeaten record with a 3-2 win over Beijing Guoan on Wednesday.

Two first-half goals from Kim Shin-wook and Kim Seung-yong laid the foundation for Ulsan to claim the win they need to advance with a game to spare.

Zhang Xizhe pulled a goal back from Beijing, who had to win to keep their slim hopes alive, at the start of the second half before Brazilian striker Maranhao came off the bench to restore Ulsan's advantage with 11 minutes remaining.

Shao Jiayi's stoppage time strike was not enough to stop winless Beijing from suffering a third defeat of the campaign as Ulsan set-up a showdown with fellow Group F table-toppers FC Tokyo in a fortnight's time to determine which side will top the group and earn home advantage in the last 16.