The Japanese side battled gamely despite having already been eliminated but the defeat saw them finish in third position. Tianjin made an early chance when Su Yuanjie crossed from the left and Alexandre Pato headed just over in the 13th minute. The home side then took the lead when a volley from Zhao Xuri was deflected in after 24 minutes. And Zhao put Tianjin two ahead six minutes later. His header from Pato’s cross was beaten out by Haruhiko Nakamoto but Zhao lashed home the rebound from close range. Yusuke Segawa came close for the visitors when he darted into the six-yard box but saw his effort blocked by Tianjin keeper Sun Qibin.
