Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Nagoya: A spectacular overhead kick with the last touch of the game saw Brazilian striker Hevertinho rescue a point for Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma with a 2-2 draw against Nagoya Grampus in Group G on Wednesday.
Hevertinho (Héverton Durães Coutinho Alves) had given the 2010 ACL champions the lead just two minutes after half-time when he raced onto a long clearance from goalkeeper Ha Kang-jin before thumping the ball high into Seigo Narazaki's net.
But Grampus pulled level when Josh Kennedy scored from the penalty spot in the 57th minute and Dragan Stojkovic's team thought they had done enough to take all three points when Mu Kanazawa finished off a fine attacking move in the 73rd minute with a side-footed effort from the edge of the area.
Hevertinho, though, had other ideas and, with Seongnam growing increasingly desperate, he struck in flamboyant fashion to give Shin Tae-yong's side a share of the points.
"Last night, during official training, I had a premonition that Hevertinho would play very well today," said Shin. "I have never seen such a beautiful goal in the AFC Champions League.
"We are very sorry that we couldn't win but Grampus and Seongnam played a very offensive and tough game. We scored first and then Grampus came from behind but in the last minute we managed to draw the game.
"We scored two goals away from home and managed to draw so in that way I'm very satisfied with the result."
Stojkovic, meanwhile, was left to rue missing out on collecting all three points due to Hevertinho's late intervention.
"It was a very tough game," said the Grampus coach. "It was our first match this season and our players did very well but that goal in the last minute gave me a lot of stress.
"In the first half, both teams were 50-50 but in the second half we played much better and we scored twice to come from behind. They scored in the last minute to draw, but that's football."