Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Guangzhou: Brazilian striker Muriqui scored a second-half hat-trick as AFC Champions League 2012 quarter-finalists Guangzhou Evergrande consolidated their position at the top of the current Chinese Super League (CSL) standings with a 5-1 victory over Jiangsu Sainty.
Argentine striker Dario Conca, who scored five times to help the reigning Chinese champions through to the last eight of the ACL, put Guangzhou 1-0 up afterten minutes before three goals in a blistering eight minute spell turned the match firmly in the home side’s favour.
Ning Jiang doubled the lead in the 54th minute before Muriqui (Luiz Guilherme da Conceição Silva) hit the target in the 57th and 62nd minutes.
Qu Cheng, who had a spell in Indonesian football on loan with Persipura Jayapura in 2010, reduced the deficit in the 67th minute but the final say went to Muriqui, with the 2011 CSL Top Scorer and CFA Player of the Year completing his hat-trick on the stroke of full time.
AFC Champions League debutants Guangzhou Evergrande will face two-time winners Al Ittihad in the quarter-finals of this year’s edition of Asia’s premier club competition with the Chinese side travelling to Jeddah for the first leg on September 19 before hosting the 2004 and 2005 ACL champions on October 2 or 3.