Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Shanghai: Wu Lei scored a brace and provided an assist for Dario Conca as China’s Shanghai SIPG secured a place in Group G of the AFC Champions League after recording a 3-0 win over Thailand’s Muangthong United in Tuesday’s play-off.
China international Wu opened the scoring just before half-time at Shanghai Stadium after the hosts had been kept out by a mixture of Muangthong goalkeeper Kawin Thamsatchanan and the woodwork.
And although Kawin produced more heroics in the second period, Conca’s 82nd minute strike and Wu’s second of the night shortly after ensured Shanghai will make their AFC Champions League debut alongside 2008 winners Gamba Osaka from Japan, two-time Asian champions Suwon Samsung and A-League Premiers Melbourne Victory.
“It is good to start with a win. Today we were the better side and created more chances and we had the upper-hand in the game,” said Shanghai coach Sven Goran Eriksson.
“They were quite good at the beginning stage but we controlled the game for most of the time.
“In two weeks we will begin our formal ACL journey this season and our first opponent will be Melbourne. I wish we have a good result and qualify from the group.”
With a place in the group stage at stake for one of the sides who finished runners-up in their respective domestic league last season, Shanghai did much of the early attacking with Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan firing narrowly wide on 10 minutes before Wu was denied by Kawin.
Kawin was at the fore again just after the half-hour mark to keep out a header from Gyan before Conca rattled the crossbar from range, but he could do little about Wu’s opener before the break as the midfielder strode up field unchallenged before unleashing a shot from just outside the penalty area that fizzed into the bottom corner.
Four minutes after the restart, Muangthong had a rare sight of goal as a mix-up at the back between Kim Ju-young and Fu Huan allowed Cleiton to get a shot in from inside the box but he was denied by a flying save from Yan Junling.
From then on, though, the traffic was almost exclusively one way as Kawin was forced into series of superlative saves to deny Elkeson twice with a sprawling parry and then a brave block at the Brazilian’s feet, before also keeping out Gyan from close-range.
A rare mistake from Kawin did see the custodian flub a routine catch but Sarach Yooyen was able to clear off the line from substitute Lu Wenjun’s close-range follow-up.
But Muanthong’s defiance was finally broken with eight minutes remaining as Conca acrobatically fired home Wu’s cross with Kawin unable to keep the ball out.
“I had told my player before the game that we have to keep our focus throughout the match and fully commit to my strategy,” said Muangthong coach Sripan Totchtawan.
“The first half we were not bad, but unfortunately we conceded a goal just before the break. The second half we tried very hard to equalize but the result didn’t go our way.”
Photo: Lagardère Sports