Evergrande prepare to tackle Kashiwa
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, September 25, 2013
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Lippi's Evergrande is aiming to become the first Chinese team to win the Asian Champions League title since the tournament was launched in 2003. |
Guangzhou Evergrande has spent lavishly in recent years on top Chinese players and expensive South American imports with the goal of becoming one of Asia's superpower football clubs.
With a third successive domestic title almost guaranteed, Evergrande is now aiming to become the first Chinese team to win the Asian Champions League title since the tournament was launched in 2003.
The Guangzhou club takes another step toward that goal when it meets Kashiwa Reysol in the first leg of their ACL semifinal showdown today in Japan.
"I'm extremely satisfied that we have managed to reach this goal," coach Marcello Lippi said. "This is a club that wants to do well and to reach the maximum of its goals. We are first in the championship in China, so this has been a very good year."
Evergrande is the first Chinese team in the ACL semifinals since Shenzhen Jianlibao in 2005.
Anything less than a title this year could be a disappointment for Asia's biggest-spending team, which is loaded with talent, including Dario Conca from Argentina and Brazilian stars Elkeson and Muriqui, the leading scorer in the tournament with nine goals.
Guangzhou topped its group in the first stage of the tournament before eliminating Australia's Central Coast Mariners 5-1 in the round of 16. Last week, Evergrande eliminated Lekhwiya in the quarterfinals, beating the Qatari 6-1 on aggregate.
Lippi, who led Italy to the 2006 World Cup title, is also on course to make history with a championship at Evergrande. He would become the first coach to win Champions League titles in both Europe and Asia, after leading Juventus to the European title in 1996.
Kashiwa, the Japanese champion in 2011, is now in the middle of the J-League standings. But it could be a positive as the club can focus on the Champions League.
The team's poor domestic form has caused some upheaval of late, with Brazilian coach Nelsinho resigning earlier this month, only to return a few days later.
Kashiwa's run in the tournament has been led by Cleo, the Brazilian star who arrived in Japan from Guangzhou on loan at the start of the season.
"The high point so far was the quarterfinal because we fought hard against Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia," said Cleo, referring to his team's 3-3 victory on away goals. "Coming through that game means we're the first Japanese club since 2009 to reach the semifinal. We've given everything to achieve these excellent results."
Given the historical animosity and current political differences between China and Japan, a match between soccer clubs from the two nations can be a highly charged affair.
South Korea's FC Seoul faces Iran's Esteghlal in today's other semifinal.
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