Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Beijing: AFC Champions League finalists Guangzhou Evergrande sealed their fifth successive Chinese Super League (CSL) title on Saturday when a 2-0 defeat of Beijing Guoan saw the Southern China Tigers win the 2015 CSL on the final day of the season.
After a stoppage-time equaliser to Shandong Luneng in the penultimate round of fixtures denied the defending champions their fifth title with a game to spare, Guangzhou could have been pipped at the post by Shanghai SIPG if they lost to Beijing Guoan and Sven Goran Eriksson’s side defeated 1990 Asian Club Championship winners Liaoning Whowin in their final match of the 2015 campaign.
However, a penalty from ACL 2015 leading scorer Ricardo Goulart (pictured) a minute from the interval at the Beijing Workers’ Stadium and an 87th minute strike from former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho saw Guangzhou finish top of the CSL standings with 67 points, two more than Shanghai SIPG, who came from a goal down to defeat Liaoning 2-1, with former Guangzhou Evergrande midfielder Dario Conca on target for the CSL runners-up.
Following the conclusion of the CSL, Guangzhou now set their sights fully on securing a second AFC Champions League crown when the 2013 winners travel to Dubai to face Al Ahli in the first leg of the 2015 final on November 7 before hosting the UAE’s first finalists since 2005 in the decisive second leg two weeks later.
Photo: AFP