Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Osaka: Reigning Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande booked a semi-final date with Barcelona at the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup after coming from behind to beat Mexico’s Club America 2-1 on Sunday.
Following a goalless first half at the Nagai Stadium in Osaka, it was CONCACAF’s America who broke the deadlock ten minutes after the break in what ultimately proved to be an enthralling quarter-final tie.
Having done well to escape the clutches of Guangzhou captain Zheng Zhi and create a yard of space for himself, Dario Benedetto proceeded to drill in a cross that was headed home by Oribe Peralta from six yards out.
However, with ten minutes remaining, Guangzhou, who sealed this year’s AFC Champions League title with a 1-0 aggregate win over Al Ahli, drew level when Paulinho showed great determination to charge down the left before picking out Gao Lin inside the box.
With two defenders close by, Gao calmly played the ball back to edge of the box to the onrushing Zheng Long who got just enough on his shot for it to squirm in under the body of Moises Munoz.
And there was more drama to come when, in the third minute of injury-time, another error from Munoz allowed Evergrande to complete a remarkable comeback as the Mexican keeper came off his line but got nowhere near Yu Hanchao’s corner, allowing Paulinho to nod home the winner into the unguarded net.
The Chinese Super League side will now face Spanish giants Barcelona in Yokohama on Thursday for a place in the final, where they will be looking to overcome the odds in their bid to become the first Asian side to reach the competition’s final.
In the day's later game recently crowned J.League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima beat Africa's TP Mazembe 3-0 to join Guangzhou in the last four where they will face River Plate from Argentina.
Photo: FIFA/Getty Images