Hong Kong: A brace from forward Safee Sali helped 10-man Johor Darul Ta’zim become the first Malaysian side to reach the semi-finals of the AFC Cup after they saw off Hong Kong’s South China 3-1 in the second leg of their AFC Cup quarter-final on Tuesday to complete a 4-2 aggregate win.
The Malaysian champions went in front midway through the first half at Mongkok Stadium through midfielder Mahalli Jasuli, only for Cameroonian forward Mahama Awal to equalise for the hosts shortly after.
Safee then restored the visitors’ advantage on the half-hour mark before Johor’s Luciano Figueroa was red carded for an off-the-ball clash. But Safee then notched his second in first-half stoppage-time to give South China a mountain to climb.
South China defender Chak Ting Fung struck the post in the final 10 minutes before captain Bojan Malisic skied a penalty with four minutes remaining as Johor held out to ensure coach Mario Gomez enjoyed a successful return to the club he managed last year.
Johor started the brighter and nearly went in front inside 10 minutes after captain Safiq Rahim’s low cross from the left was diverted towards his own goal by Chan Siu Kwan, but goalkeeper Cristian Mora did well to tip over at full stretch.
The visitors then did take the lead in the 25th minute when Leandro Velazquez dispossessed Serbian Malisic 25 yards from goal before playing in Jasuli, who curled the ball past Mora from just inside the box.
The hosts levelled things up a minute later, though, when Malisic’s header from a Chan Siu Ki corner from the left was expertly saved by Johor stopper Izham Tarmizi, but the ball fell kindly to Awal, who tapped home from for his fifth goal of the tournament.
But the Malaysian side went back in front in the 29th minute when Velazquez slipped in Figueroa, whose low cross from the left was only parried by Mora and Safee was on hand to score his third of the campaign with an easy finish from six yards.
Needing two goals without reply to advance, South China were thrown a lifeline ten minutes before the interval when Argentine Figueroa was sent off for a violent confrontation with defender Cheung Chi Yung as the home side were given renewed hope.
But Johor then grabbed a third on the stroke of half-time when defender Jack Sealy’s misdirected header to Mora was well saved by the Ecuadorian custodian, but Safee raced onto the loose ball to tap into an empty net.
South China took control of the game after the restart as they chased the three goals required to progress to the semi-finals for only the second time in their history.
But they created little by way of clear-cut opportunities until the final 10 minutes, when the overlapping Chak was played into the box on the left side only to see his low drive rebound off the woodwork.
The hosts were then awarded a penalty in the 86th minute when substitute Liang Zicheng was bundled over in the box, but Malisic fired his ensuing spot-kick well over the bar to complete a miserable day for the Hong Kong side.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário