Guangzhou: Goals from Huang Bowen and Zheng Zhi ensured 2013 ACL champions Guangzhou Evergrande will travel to their AFC Champions League semi-final second leg in Japan with a narrow advantage after securing a 2-1 victory in the first leg against fellow former winners Gamba Osaka on Wednesday.
An own goal from Guangzhou defender Feng Xiaoting had stunned the packed stands of the Tianhe Sport Centre Stadium after just 12 minutes before Huang rewarded the fans’ passionate persistence with an equaliser 10 minutes before half-time.
And captain Zheng Zhi’s 57th minute header ensured that it will be Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Guangzhou that hold the upper hand at Gamba’s Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium when the sides meet again on October 21.
Starting with the same 11 that took the field against Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol in their last AFC Champions League tie at home, the hosts had the game’s first sight of goal on seven minutes as Huang surged forward from midfield before finding Zheng Long just inside the area but the 27-year-old steered his shot narrowly wide.
Gamba responded strongly, though, and on 12 minutes shocked a raucous Tianhe Sport Centre Stadium into momentary silence when Feng got a touch to Hiroyuki Abe’s cross in from the right and diverted the ball into his own net while under pressure striker Patric.
Gamba goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi then saved from Zheng Long after good work from Paulinho and Ricardo Goulart, before at the other end, Patric nearly doubled Gamba’s tally with a 22-yard effort that fizzed wide of Zeng Cheng’s left-hand post.
Higashiguchi was called into action again on 33 minutes as he proved equal to Goulart’s header from Huang’s corner, diving low to his right and pushing the ball away as Scolari’s side looked to gain momentum.
And just two minutes later the Gamba custodian was left horribly exposed by Paulinho’s ball over the top that sprung the offside trap, allowing Huang time inside the area to pick his spot and blast in his second goal in consecutive AFC Champions League games.
The equaliser further galvanised Guangzhou and the home side finished the half strongly with Paulinho and Goulart again going close before the interval.
Starting the second period as they had ended the first, Guangzhou had a golden chance to take the lead just three minutes in when awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position but set-piece taker Zheng Long found the wrong-side of Higashiguchi’s upright.
Zheng Long was called into action again three minutes before the hour mark with a corner that brought a fine reaction stop from Higashiguchi from Zheng Zhi’s flying header.
The danger was not cleared, however, and the ball landed at the feet of Elkeson whose cross in from the left was nodded home by Zheng Zhi, who made no mistake with his second opportunity in a matter of seconds.
Both side would make changes with Gamba’s Brazilian striker Lins and midfielder Kotaro Omori joining the fray, while Guangzhou replaced Huang with Yu Hanchao.
Despite their best efforts, though, neither Higashiguchi nor Zheng were called into further serious action with Guangzhou securing a one goal advantage and Gamba an important away goal ahead of the second leg in Osaka in three weeks’ time.
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