Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Shanghai: A brace from Brazilian forward Elkeson was enough to see China’s Shanghai SIPG safely past Japan’s Gamba Osaka in the 2016 AFC Champions League on Wednesday as the hosts secured a 2-1 win at Shanghai Stadium.
Elkeson opened the scoring four minutes before half-time only for Gamba’s Brazilian striker Patric to equalise for the visitors on the hour mark.
But with Elkeson hitting back for the home side just two minutes later, Shanghai find themselves top of Group G at the halfway stage, with Gamba third after suffering a first defeat of the campaign.
Today we had a great result. The entire team is satisfied with it. Considering our opponent is a very strong one with talented players and good at controlling the ball, we have had played with the correct attitude, especially the first half our defense worked well. I have to tell our fans that though last week we were below the expectation, this week we showed who we truly are. We made it.
“Today we won the game not thanks to the change of our formation, but we presented the right attitude and match spirit,” said Shanghai coach Sven Goran Eriksson.
“With great players like Elkeson, there isn't much left to be said. We were extremely happy when we brought him in. I had known how good he has been for many years. He started season preparation late, because he joined us late. But you could see he ran endlessly in the game. For a forward, there is nothing else I could ask. For us, he is just as great as before.”
It was Gamba came closest to opening the scoring in the match's early stages as goalkeeper Yan Junling was forced into a fine double save to keep the scores level with only his head denying Kim Jung-ya at the second attempt after 18 minutes.
As both teams became accustomed to the rhythm of the game, the tie opened up with opportunities at both ends with Takashi Usami going closest for Gamba with Yan once again more up to the task to maintain the deadlock.
But with just four minutes of the first half remaining, Shanghai took the lead as Dario Conca's cleverly flighted free-kick was poorly dealt with by the Gamba defence and Asamoah Gyan headed down at the back-post for an unmarked Elkeson to poke the ball home.
And having taken the lead, Shanghai came out with renewed vigour in the second period and soon earned another opportunity courtesy of another Conca free-kick, but on this occasion Yu Hai was unable to control his header with the effort flying safely over the crossbar.
Gamba, though, quickly hit back and should have equalised in the 52nd minute when Usami failed to capitalise on a golden opportunity from the right of the Shanghai area as his sliced effort never looked likely to threaten home goalkeeper Yan.
However, Gamba were soon level as Brazilian Patric rose to emphatically finish with his head from a cross to the back post from a free-kick.
But parity would only last a matter of moments, though, with Shanghai once more taking the lead through a familiar link-up as Argentinean playmaker Conca once more played provider with a pinpoint cross from the left for Elkeson to powerfully head home his second of the game.
The match continued to flow from end-to-end with Gamba desperately seeking an equaliser in the last 20 minutes.
But for all Gamba’s pressure, Shanghai were able to restrict their opponents to few late chances and saw out the game in relative comfort.
“There are lots of fans from Osaka today to support us. Our players also fought until the last second, but we missed some good chances. I hope we can win it back next round at home,” said Gamba coach Kenta Hasegawa.
“Due to player injures, we used two substitutes without choices. It was a pity. Takashi Usami played pretty well. I hope he could repeat it in the next game.
“We have had a tough first half of the group phase. Altogether with domestic results, I can't say we have done very well. I hope we can win every game of the second half of the group stage. The one against Shanghai will be very important and we hope to gain three points.”
Photo: Lagardère Sports