Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Osaka: China’s Guangzhou Evergrande will face Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates in next month’s AFC Champions League final after a goalless draw in Wednesday’s semi-final second leg with Japan’s Gamba Osaka sealed a 2-1 aggregate triumph for the 2013 winners.
Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Guangzhou enjoyed the better of the chances at Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium, and while the visitors could not add to last month’s 2-1 home win, 2008 ACL winners Gamba struggled in the final third.
And after Al Ahli claimed a dramatic 3-2 home win over Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal on Tuesday to win their semi-final 4-3 on aggregate, Guangzhou will travel to Dubai on November 7 before hosting the crucial second leg two weeks later.
With the home side needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit, Gamba were surprisingly without Japan international striker Takashi Usami in one of three changes from last month’s first leg, while Guangzhou coach Luiz Felipe Scolari brought in Li Xuepeng at left-back in place of Zou Zheng for the contest at a sold-out Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium.
Hasegawa has no regrets not starting star striker Usami
Guangzhou’s Scolari sets sights on CSL/ACL double
While it was Gamba who started the contest brightly, it was Guangzhou who enjoyed the better of the early chances, with Zheng Long sending a rising shot over the crossbar from just outside the penalty area after nine minutes.
Gamba goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi was then forced into action twice in quick succession midway through the first half as Brazilian striker Elkeson warmed the hands of the custodian in the 24th minute before a shot from compatriot Ricardo Goulart required a comfortable save two minutes later.
But Higashiguchi kept Gamba within touching distance two minutes before the break with a superb save to push away Elkeson’s angled snap-shot from just outside the six-yard area after quick interplay from Guangzhou on the edge of the area had played in the two-time CSL Golden Boot winner.
Guangzhou continued to dominate at the start of the second half but Elkeson could only lift his 51st minute effort over the crossbar having being played in by Li after the left-back had capitalised on a Gamba mistake to win back possession.
And with Gamba needing to score but struggling for chances in the final third, coach Kenta Hasegawa introduced Usami at the expense of midfielder Hiroyuki Abe on the hour mark, with the Japan international joining Brazilian Patric in attack and Shu Kurata filling the vacated void on the right.
Guangzhou, though, continued to create chances and three minutes later Higashiguchi was needed to save Paulinho’s low shot from the edge of the penalty area before Goulart flashed an effort just over soon after following a strong run into the box.
The introduction of Usami did hand Gamba a new option in attack and the move almost paid off with 20 minutes remaining as the strikers’ pull back from the left found Kurata on the edge of the area, but the shot from the on-rushing midfielder was blocked.
Usami then lifted an effort just beyond the far post from the edge of the area as the contest entered the closing stages with the home side still needing to score.
And the Japan striker again went close with six minutes remaining as Usami guided another effort just wide, although Guangzhou goalkeeper Zeng Cheng remained untroubled.
But despite Gamba spending the virtually all of the final 10 minutes on the edge of the Guangzhou penalty area, the home side were unable to find the breakthrough they needed.
Photo: WSG