Sydney: Substitute Hao Junmin scored a spectacular last minute strike as China’s Shandong Luneng qualified for the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League as a dramatic 2-2 draw with Australia’s Sydney FC in Wednesday’s second leg Round of 16 tie saw the Chinese Super League side advance on away goals following a 3-3 draw on aggregate.
Brandon O’Neill had handed Sydney, who claimed a 1-1draw in China in last week’s first leg, the ideal start at Sydney Football Stadium as the midfielder’s second minute free-kick found the bottom corner via a slight deflection only for Walter Montillo to equalise for the visitors soon after.
Rhyan Grant netted an eye-catching strike inside the first minute of the second half to reclaim the lead for Sydney, but despite Diego Tardelli missing a penalty inside the final 15 minutes for the visitors after Sydney defender Zac Anderson had been sent-off, Hao fired home from 30 yards to send Shandong into the last eight for the first time since 2005.
"From the first minute we knew this would be an exciting game. We conceded a goal after two minutes, which as the away team made it more difficult. After that, I was happy to equalise and make it a draw,” said Shandong coach Mano Menezes.
“At the start of the second half, we faced the same problem, conceding again and then we missed a penalty. We used our spirit, good technique and tactics to fight to the end. The result is a result for China, Jinan, the staff and supporters.
“When I heard the final whistle I felt very happy. I felt happy because we got the victory to go through to the next stage and I am happy for my players.”
Having earned a 1-1 draw in last week’s away leg in China, Sydney enjoyed the perfect start to the return fixture as O’Neill’s free-kick from the left side of the Shandong penalty area following a foul by Jucilei evaded everyone inside the area and found the net via the far post, although there was the hint of a deflection from Wang Tong as the defender attempted to clear the danger.
But the lead lasted just 10 minutes as Argentine Montillo swept home first time from Tardelli’s pass into the penalty area after the Brazilian had skipped past O’Neill to level the tie on the night and on aggregate.
Shandong enjoyed a strong finish to the first half, but after Sydney fought back in the final few minutes of the opening 45, the home side reclaimed the lead barely 30 seconds after the restart as Grant found the bottom corner with a sweetly-struck first-time angled strike from inside the area following Milos Ninkovic’s pass.
Shandong again almost found an instant response, but Sydney goalkeeper Janjetovic produced a superb one-handed save to parry away Jucilei’s header from Montillo’s cross seven minutes before the hour mark.
And having saved a penalty in the first leg, Janjetovic was again at his best with 13 minutes remaining as the Sydney goalkeeper saved Tardelli’s penalty after Anderson had been sent-off for holding back substitute Yang Xu inside the area before watching as the Brazilian scuffed the rebound onto the top of the crossbar.
But as the clock ticked over into the last minute, Hao picked the ball up and rifled a strike into the top corner despite Janjetovic being at full stretch.
“It sums up our season. The boys were fantastic, I thought we played exceptionally well tonight,” said Sydney coach Graham Arnold.
“You can see the difference of two high quality players in Tardelli and Montillo, who every time they got on the ball were dangerous.
“I can’t be prouder of my boys, they gave everything they had. I thought we played exceptionally well tonight and it took a bomb of a goal to clinch the game for them.
“At the end of the day it’s disappointing to go out on away goals.”
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