Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Brisbane: A-League champions Brisbane Roar ended their 2012 AFC Champions League campaign with the frustration of a 1-1 draw with Beijing Guoan despite dominating the clash at Brisbane Stadium on Wednesday.
Besart Berisha gave Brisbane the lead after just 15 minutes but, despite a host of missed opportunities for the home side, Beijing took a point thanks to a 24th minute equaliser from Li Hanbo.
Neither side had any chance of progressing to the Round of 16, with Brisbane finishing just ahead of the Chinese Super League side as both teams finished the campaign with three points each, well adrift of Ulsan Hyundai and FC Tokyo.
"I am very proud of the boys," said Brisbane coach Rado Vidosic. "They came here tonight and played for the colours of our club, they gave everything they had and you saw at the end physically we looked stronger than the opponent so I am very proud.
"They had eight, nine, sometimes 10 players in front of the goal. We penetrated quite a few times from both the left and the right but unfortunately - and maybe because of the state of the pitch or a lack of concentration - we didn't finish those opportunities.
"They had one good opportunity when they had that penetrating run, and the goal they scored was a fantastic shot and you can't do much about that.
"Other than that they didn't create anything and we are a little bit unfortunate not to finish this game with three points."
Brisbane took a deserved lead with just 15 minutes on the clock when Berisha finished off a fine move that saw Mitch Nichols feed the impressive Kofi Danning and the Albanian striker was left to slide the ball home.
Danning was causing the Beijing defence numerous problems throughout the first 25 minutes and it was through the Ghana-born winger that Brisbane's greatest threat existed.
Danning and Berisha linked up again just moments after the opener only the striker put the ball wide of the target on this occasion. Soon after, Danning headed meekly across the face of goal when he should have forced a save out of Bai Xiaolei.
Brisbane were made to pay for not taking more from their period in the ascendancy when, in the 24th minute, Beijing pulled level thanks to a rasping effort from Li Hanbo.
Zhang Xizhe laid the ball off to Shao Jiaye and the former 1860 Munich midfielder set up Li to thump home a right-footed effort that flew across the face of the Brisbane goal and dipped into the goal.
Despite the Beijing equaliser, the home side maintained the upper hand but Vidosic's side was unable to find the blow that would give them all three points, with Berisha hitting the post in the dying seconds of the game to complete a frustrating evening for the A-League side.
"I am very happy with the performance of the young players in the team who stepped up when called upon," said Beijing coach Jaime Pacheco.
"Our goalkeeper was good and had a great game. Whenever we needed him, he delivered in the best way."
Photo: WSG