Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tianjin: Late goals from Anthony Modeste and Alexandre Pato gave Tianjin Quanjian an important 4-2 win over Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on Matchday Four of the 2018 AFC Champions League on Wednesday.
Played at the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, the home side started brightly and took the lead inside 10 minutes when Wang Yongpo finished off some nice lead up work from Pato and Modeste.
Modeste should have doubled the lead on 35 minutes when Axel Witsel headed back across goal to the Frenchman, who somehow headed wide from two yards out with an open net in front of him.
Tianjin were left to rue that miss just two minutes later when Kim Shin-wook, who scored a hat-trick against them last week, found the net again to draw the visitors level.
Brazilian star Pato produced a piece of brilliance eight minutes into the second half, combining exquisitely with Witsel before driving into the area and firing a shot that rattled the crossbar.
The home side wouldn’t have to wait long to take the lead, however, with Zhang Cheng’s header in the 55th minute putting them ahead 2-1.
But Jeonbuk rallied once again and equalised with just over 20 minutes to go when Tianjin failed to clear their lines and Adriano bundled the ball home after a slight deflection off Zheng Cheng.
After spurning earlier chances, Modeste finally got the goal he was after in the 84th minute. The Frenchman got on the end of Zhao Xuri’s ball over the top of the Jeonbuk defence, beating Song Beom-keun to the ball and chipping the keeper to put his side 3-2 ahead, before Pato sealed the win and all three points with a goal in injury time.
The win keeps Tianjin Quanjian in second spot in Group E, now just two points behind Jeonbuk Hyundai who remain in top spot, but importantly they now sit three points clear of third-placed Kashiwa Reysol.