Shandong Taishan strengthened their bid for a spot in the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League Elite following a convincing 3-1 victory over South Korean side Gwangju on Tuesday at home. All three goals were scored in the first half.
The clash was one of the penultimate group stage matches in the East. Shandong Taishan took the lead in the 16th minute when Valeri Qazaishvilli found himself unmarked to score confidently, making it 1-0.
The lead was extended to 2-0 in the 33rd minute as Brazil's Zeca netted his first goal for the hosts. Two minutes later, Lee Min-ki pulled one back for Gwangju from a deflected effort that found space before finding the back of the net.
Shandong restored their two-goal advantage in first half stoppage time, with another Brazilian, Cryzan, scoring to make the final score 3-1.
Gwangju has already qualified for the knockout phase, sitting in fourth place in the 12-team group. Taishan, currently in sixth, needs to win their final match next week to secure a spot among the eight teams advancing to the last 16.
In other matches, Shanghai Port suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Vissel Kobe, despite goalkeeper Yan Junling saving a penalty kick. Goals from Yuya Osako, Koya Yuruki, Yuya Kuwasak, and Yoshinori Muto ensured the Japanese hosts progressed to the knockout phase.
Reference(s):
Shandong Taishan defeat Gwangju, Shanghai Port lose to Vissel Kobe
cgtn.com
